Class 6 Science Curiosity Chapter 4 Question Answer

Exploring Magnets

Question 1. Fill in the blanks

(i) Unlike poles of two magnets _______ each other, whereas like poles each other.
(ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are called _______ .
(iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the _______ direction.
(iv) A magnet always has ______ poles.

Answer:

(i) attract, repel
(ii) magnetic materials.
(iii) north-south
(iv) two.

Question 2. State whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

(i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to obtain a single pole. [ ]
(ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each other. [ ]
(iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar magnet when it is brought near them. [ ]
(iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns with the north-south direction. [ ]

Answer:

(i) False
(ii) True
(iii) False
(iv) True

Question 3. Column I shows different positions in which one pole of a magnet is placed near that of the other. Column II indicates the resulting interaction between them for different situations. Fill in the blanks.

Answer:

Question 4. Atharv performed an experiment in which he took a bar magnet and rolled it over a heap of steel U-clips (Fig. 4.15).

According to you, which of the options given in Table 4.3 is likely to be his observation?

Answer: From the figure, it is clear that the ends of the magnet have more iron fillings attached to it. This is because the strength of a magnet lies more at the ends of the magnet. Hence option (i) is correct.

Question 5. Reshma bought three identical metal bars from the market. Out of these bars, two were magnets and one was just a piece of iron. How will she identify which two amongst the three could be magnets (without using any other material)?

Answer: Reshma can use the property of repulsion to identify the magnets. She can bring the ends of two bars close to each other. If there is repulsion between any two bars, those two must be magnets (because only magnets repel each other). If there is only attraction, it means one is a magnet and the other is iron.

Question 6. You are given a magnet which does not have the poles marked. How can you find its poles with the help of another magnet which has its poles marked?

Answer: Bring the known North pole of the marked magnet close to one end of the unmarked magnet. If the ends attract, then the unmarked end is a South pole. If they repel, the unmarked end is a North pole.

Question 7. A bar magnet has no markings to indicate its poles. How would you find out near which end its North pole is located without using another magnet?

Answer: Suspend the bar magnet freely using a thread. Once it comes to rest, the end pointing towards the geographic North is the North pole of the magnet, and the opposite end is the South pole.

Question 8. If the earth is itself a magnet, can you guess the poles of earth’s magnet by looking at the direction of the magnetic compass?

Answer: Yes, the end of the compass needle that points towards the geographic North is the magnet’s North-seeking pole (which is actually the magnetic South pole of the Earth). Hence, the Earth’s magnetic South pole is located near the geographic North pole, and the magnetic North pole is near the geographic South pole.

Question 9. While a mechanic was repairing a gadget using a screw driver, the steel screws kept falling down. Suggest a way to solve the problem of the mechanic on the basis of what you have learnt in this chapter.

Answer: The mechanic can magnetize the screwdriver by stroking it several times with a magnet in one direction. This will allow the screwdriver to attract and hold the screws, preventing them from falling.

Question 10. Two ring magnets X and Y are arranged as shown in Fig. 4.16. It is observed that the magnet X does not move down further. What could be the possible reason? Suggest a way to bring the magnet X in contact with magnet Y, without pushing either of the magnets.

Answer: The reason magnet X does not move down further is due to the repulsion between like poles (e.g., both North poles or both South poles) of the two magnets. To bring magnet X into contact with magnet Y, you can flip one of the magnets so that unlike poles (North and South) face each other, allowing them to attract.

Question 11. Three magnets are arranged on a table in the form of the shape shown in Fig. 4.17. What is the polarity, N or S, at the ends 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the magnets? Polarity of one end (5) is given for you.

Answer:

Polarity at end 5 is already given as South (S).

(Page 62)

Question. Do magnets stick to objects made of certain materials only?

Answer: Yes, magnets stick only to objects made of magnetic materials. These materials are generally metals like iron, nickel, and cobalt. Materials like wood, plastic, and glass are non-magnetic and are not attracted by magnets.

(Page 64)

Question. Do all parts of a magnet attract magnetic materials equally?

Answer: No, not all parts of a magnet attract magnetic materials equally. The magnetic force is strongest at the poles of the magnet (the North and South poles), where most of the magnetic materials get attracted. The middle part of the magnet has a much weaker magnetic effect.

(Page 65)

Question. Can we find a magnet with a single pole?

Answer: No, it is not possible to find a magnet with a single pole. Every magnet always has both a North and a South pole. If a magnet is broken into smaller pieces, each piece will still have both poles, no matter how small the piece is.