In this topic you will learn how magnets work and how they are used.

Every magnet has two ends, or poles, where a magnet's pull is strongest. One pole is the "north-seeking magnetic pole," or north pole. The opposite pole is the "south-seeking magnetic pole," or south pole. Like poles of a magnet repel each other. Unlike poles attract. Two south poles repel, or push away, each other. A south pole and a north pole will attract each other.

When magnets are free to move, they will line up in a north-south direction. The needle of a compass is a small magnet. It is attached to a base by a small pin. The pin does not move but allows the needle to turn toward Earth's North Pole.

A magnet creates a region of magnetic force around itself called a magnetic field. You can't see a magnetic field, but iron filings sprinkled on a paper over a magnet will form a pattern showing the magnetic field.

Magnets attract items containing the elements iron, nickel, or cobalt. A piece of magnetized iron, for example, is made of particles. Each particle of the iron has its own magnetic field. When the particles are lined up in the same direction, their magnetic fields act together. This makes the piece of iron have a strong magnetic field.

Magnets can also be created using electric current. Electric current running in a wire creates a weak magnetic field. When current flows, a magnetic field forms around the wire. When the current is turned off, the magnetic field goes away. A stronger magnetic field can be made by winding the wire in loops around an iron bar. When current flows through the wire wrapped in coils around the iron bar, it creates a temporary magnet called an electromagnet. Electromagnets are used in machines such as tape players, doorbells, motors, buzzers, loudspeakers, and televisions.

Electromagnets are important in our everyday life. There are many uses for their power. They are useful in our lives because we can make them as strong as we need and we can turn them on or off by changing parts of the electromagnetic system.