A magnet test · Alberta Grade 4 · maddyhelps.com
Predict first, then test with a fridge magnet. Most metals do not stick, which surprises almost everyone, and the coins are the interesting ones.
| Object | I predict | It stuck | It did not |
|---|---|---|---|
| A paper clip | |||
| An aluminium pop can | |||
| A pencil | |||
| A steel nail | |||
| Aluminium foil | |||
| A soup can | |||
| A rubber band | |||
| A coin — try two different ones |
Will it stick?
Stick: the paper clip, the steel nail and the soup can — all steel, which is mostly iron (a soup can is steel with a thin coat of tin). Do not stick: aluminium can, pencil, foil, rubber band. Coins depend on when they were made: most Canadian coins made since 2000 are steel with a thin coating and will stick, and many older ones will not. Two magnets pull together one way round and push apart the other: opposite poles attract, the same poles repel.
The coins are the best part of the sheet. Two coins that look the same giving different results is exactly why scientists test instead of assuming — which is Alberta's evidence outcome, in a pocket.
Why this matters is on the looking closely page. More sheets