Science at key stage 3 (Year 8)
Unit 8J: Magnets and electromagnets
Section 5: a. What is a magnetic field?
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Objectives |
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- that a freely moving magnet comes to rest pointing in a north-south direction
- that all magnets have a magnetic north-seeking pole and south-seeking pole
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Activities |
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Outcomes |
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Children: |
- Elicit pupils' ideas about the Earth's magnetic field. Draw on their experience of a compass for direction finding. Elicit the idea that the Earth acts like a magnet. Explain that the polarities of the Earth's magnetic poles are reversed relative to the geographic poles, as a consequence of the 'opposite poles attract' rule.
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- recognise that the Earth has a magnetic field, which attracts a freely pivoted magnet to line up with it
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Points to note |
- Many pupils think that the magnetic field and gravity are somehow linked.
- Extension: pupils could find out about William Gilbert, Queen Elizabeth I's physician, who discovered that the Earth is magnetic.
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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of
activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by
moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
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