Magnetic Poles · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Magnet Poles: Push or Pull?

Science · Forces & Motion · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Every magnet has both a north pole and a south pole.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Two south poles facing each other will pull together.

    Circle one:   True   False

  3. True or false: A magnet can have a north pole without a south pole.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. What happens when you try to push two north poles together?

    • They attract
    • They repel
    • They stick together
    • Nothing happens

  5. A magnet's pull is strongest at its poles.

    Circle one:   True   False

  6. Sam holds two magnets with N facing N, and they push apart. He turns one magnet around so S now faces N. What happens now?

    • They attract and pull together
    • They keep pushing apart
    • Nothing changes

  7. Ben's magnet makes a steel paperclip slide across the table before they even touch. What does that show?

    • A magnet's pull works without touching
    • The paperclip moved all by itself
    • The table pushed the paperclip

  8. Two south poles face each other. What happens?

    • They repel and push apart
    • They attract and pull together
    • Nothing happens at all

  9. If two magnets snap together on their own, the poles facing each other must be different, one north and one south.

    Circle one:   True   False

  10. Two magnets must touch each other before they can pull together.

    Circle one:   True   False

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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Magnet Poles: Push or Pull? W1-mt_jgNB2752b9-s1

  1. True · One magnet always has two poles: a north pole at one end and a south pole at the other.
  2. False · Two south poles are like poles, and like poles repel, so they push apart instead.
  3. True · Every magnet has both a north and a south pole. You cannot have just one pole by itself.
  4. They repel · Like poles repel. Two north poles push away from each other.
  5. True · The lesson says a magnet's pull is strongest right at its poles, the two ends.
  6. They attract and pull together · Flipping the magnet changed the poles facing each other from same to opposite, so now they attract.
  7. A magnet's pull works without touching · The clip started moving across a gap, so the magnet's pull worked before any touching.
  8. They repel and push apart · Two south poles are the same, so like poles repel and push apart.
  9. True · Only opposite poles attract, so snapping together means the facing poles were different.
  10. False · The pull starts while there is still a gap, which is why magnets snap together on their own.
Worksheet · LightMySky