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  1. Science
  2. Year 3
  3. Magnets
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Magnets 4

In this worksheet, students will answer questions about how we use magnetism and how we can investigate magnets.

'Magnets 4' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 2

Curriculum topic:  Forces and Magnets

Curriculum subtopic:  Materials: Magnetic or Not?

Difficulty level:  

down

Worksheet Overview

QUESTION 1 of 10

Magnetism is a property of iron, and materials made mostly from iron. Non-metals are not magnetic.

We use this special property in many everyday objects, alarms, fasteners and even credit cards.

 

Remote car keys contain tiny magnets...

Remote control with key

 

and so do bank cards...

Credit card

 

We can investigate the strength of magnets by testing them. So, let's get stuck into this worksheet and see what we can find out....

Which THREE statements describe ATTRACTION between magnets?

They like the look of each other

It is a pulling force.

It is a pushing force.

It can be measured using a forcemeter.

It is measured in Newtons

Which THREE statements describe magnetic REPULSION (when magnets repel)?

it is a pulling force.

They don't want to be friends.

It is a pushing force.

It is measured in Newtons.

It is a force we can feel.

Kasia and Tom are learning about magnets.

Kasia says: "The Earth is a big magnet."

 

Is she correct?

 

Planet Earth

yes

no

Tom says: "Just like a bar magnet, the Earth has poles at either end - the North pole and the South pole."

 

Is Tom correct?

yes

no

A small magnet which points to the North pole of the Earth is called a....

forcemeter

sat nav

compass

Kasia and Tom have learnt that we use magnets everyday. Can you help them match up the different jobs which magnets do with where they are found?

Column A

Column B

sorting
fridge door
lifting
credit card
fastening
re-cycling plant
coding information
scrap yard

The students want to learn more about how magnets are used to sort-out recycled materials.

Squashed cans Glass bottle Tin can

 

Kasia says: "The magnet will sort the metal cans from the glass bottles and jars."

Tom says: "The magnet will attract the steel cans, but not cans made from other metals."

 

What do you think?

They are both correct.

They are both wrong.

Kasia is right.

Tom is right.

Tom asks a science question which can be investigated.

"How does the size of the magnet affect how strong it is?"

 

Selection of magnets

 

Kasia writes down what she thinks the results will show.

In science this is called a...

prediction

preview

premolar

Tom and Kasia collect four magnets:

 

  • a large bar magnet
  • a horseshoe magnet
  • a small bar magnet
  • a fridge magnet

 

and a pile of paperclips.

 

Which TWO variables (factors) must they keep the same to make their test fair?

The size of the magnets.

The strength of the magnets.

The size of the paperclips.

The material the paperclips are made of.

Kasia presents their results in a two column table. She starts with the LARGEST magnet.

 

TYPE OF MAGNET NUMBER OF PAPERCLIPS
 LARGE BAR 6 
 HORSESHOE 11 
 SMALL BAR  9
 FRIDGE MAGNET  15

 

Which one of these conclusions can Tom and Kasia take from their results?

The bigger the magnet, the stronger it is.

The bigger the magnet, the weaker it is.

The size of the magnet does not affect how strong it is.

Kasia says: "The results do not match my prediction."

 

What should Kasia do? 

Give up.

Change her results to match her prediction.

Repeat the investigation using another set of magnets.

  • ANSWERS
  • Question 1

Which THREE statements describe ATTRACTION between magnets?

CORRECT ANSWER
It is a pulling force.
It can be measured using a forcemeter.
It is measured in Newtons
EDDIE SAYS
Magnetic ATTRACTION is a pulling force which can be measured in Newtons using a forcemeter.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 2

Which THREE statements describe magnetic REPULSION (when magnets repel)?

CORRECT ANSWER
It is a pushing force.
It is measured in Newtons.
It is a force we can feel.
EDDIE SAYS
When magnets repel, we can feel a PUSHING FORCE between them which can be measured in Newtons.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 3

Kasia and Tom are learning about magnets.

Kasia says: "The Earth is a big magnet."

 

Is she correct?

 

Planet Earth

CORRECT ANSWER
yes
EDDIE SAYS
The Earth IS a big magnet! We use the Earth's magnetism to navigate and it tells us about the materials which make-up the rocks under the Earth's surface.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 4

Tom says: "Just like a bar magnet, the Earth has poles at either end - the North pole and the South pole."

 

Is Tom correct?

CORRECT ANSWER
yes
EDDIE SAYS
In science we use North and South to describe the ends of a magnet, including the Earth.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 5

A small magnet which points to the North pole of the Earth is called a....

CORRECT ANSWER
compass
EDDIE SAYS
A compass helps us to navigate because it always points towards the North pole.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 6

Kasia and Tom have learnt that we use magnets everyday. Can you help them match up the different jobs which magnets do with where they are found?

CORRECT ANSWER

Column A

Column B

sorting
re-cycling plant
lifting
scrap yard
fastening
fridge door
coding information
credit card
EDDIE SAYS
Magnets come in all shapes and sizes. Powerful electro-magnets lift cars and large pieces of metal in scrap yards. Tiny magnets carry information on credit cards - amazing!
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 7

The students want to learn more about how magnets are used to sort-out recycled materials.

Squashed cans Glass bottle Tin can

 

Kasia says: "The magnet will sort the metal cans from the glass bottles and jars."

Tom says: "The magnet will attract the steel cans, but not cans made from other metals."

 

What do you think?

CORRECT ANSWER
Tom is right.
EDDIE SAYS
Magnets attract metals which contain a large proportion of IRON. Some cans are made from ALUMINIUM, which is not magnetic. STEEL cans are attracted to the magnet because steel contains iron.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 8

Tom asks a science question which can be investigated.

"How does the size of the magnet affect how strong it is?"

 

Selection of magnets

 

Kasia writes down what she thinks the results will show.

In science this is called a...

CORRECT ANSWER
prediction
EDDIE SAYS
An experiment or investigation is all about answering a question. When you ask a question you'll often have an idea about what you think will happen - that means you are PREDICTING what you think will be the outcome.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 9

Tom and Kasia collect four magnets:

 

  • a large bar magnet
  • a horseshoe magnet
  • a small bar magnet
  • a fridge magnet

 

and a pile of paperclips.

 

Which TWO variables (factors) must they keep the same to make their test fair?

CORRECT ANSWER
The size of the paperclips.
The material the paperclips are made of.
EDDIE SAYS
To make the test fair, the students must keep the size and material the paperclips are made of the same for each magnet. The variable they must CHANGE is the size of the magnet. They are INVESTIGATING the strength!
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 10

Kasia presents their results in a two column table. She starts with the LARGEST magnet.

 

TYPE OF MAGNET NUMBER OF PAPERCLIPS
 LARGE BAR 6 
 HORSESHOE 11 
 SMALL BAR  9
 FRIDGE MAGNET  15

 

Which one of these conclusions can Tom and Kasia take from their results?

CORRECT ANSWER
The size of the magnet does not affect how strong it is.
EDDIE SAYS
Tom and Kasia's results show that small magnets can be strong because the smallest magnet (which was the fridge magnet) attracted the most paperclips. On the other hand, the largest magnet (which was the large bar magnet) attracted the fewest paperclips. Bet they predicted differently! That's when the ONLY way of finding an answer is to DO the experiment. Science is FUN!
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 11

Kasia says: "The results do not match my prediction."

 

What should Kasia do? 

CORRECT ANSWER
Repeat the investigation using another set of magnets.
EDDIE SAYS
Scientists must be able to repeat their investigation to reach the same conclusion. There's nothing for it -Tom will have to go and find more magnets! Mind you, they'll have lots of fun running more investigations and then they'll have better results. Then they can be more confident that they have reached the right conclusion.
---- OR ----

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