Every time you push a door or pull a drawer, you are using a force — simply a push or a pull. Magnets are special because they can push and pull without even touching!
Pushes and pulls
A force is a push or a pull. It can make something start to move, stop, speed up, slow down or change direction.
| Action | Push or pull? |
|---|---|
| Kicking a ball | Push |
| Opening a drawer | Pull |
| Going down a slide | Pull (gravity pulls you down) |
Friction
Friction is a force that happens when two surfaces rub together, and it slows things down. A ball rolls a long way on smooth ice because there is little friction, but stops quickly on rough grass. Friction is why a bike slows down when you stop pedalling.
Magnets and metals
A magnet can pull on some metals without touching them, but not every metal. They pull on iron and steel; they do not pull on wood, plastic, paper, gold or aluminium.
North and south poles
Every magnet has two ends called poles: a north pole and a south pole. This is where the pull is strongest.
Attract and repel
When two magnets pull together, we say they attract. When they push apart, we say they repel.
| Poles facing | What happens |
|---|---|
| North and South | Attract (pull together) |
| North and North | Repel (push apart) |
| South and South | Repel (push apart) |
The rule to remember: opposite poles attract, the same poles repel.
Magnets in everyday life
We use magnets to hold notes on the fridge, to shut cupboard doors with a click, in compasses to find north, and inside speakers and headphones to make sound.