Chapter - 4
Exploring Materials
Let Us Enhance Our Learning
uestion 1.
Q
Fill in the blanks.
(i) Unlike poles of two magnets ___________________ each other, whereas
like poles ___________________ each other.
Answer:
attract, repel
( ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are called
___________________.
Answer:
magnetic materials
( iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the ___________________
direction.
Answer:
North – South
( iv) A magnet always has ___________________ poles.
Answer:
two (North and South)
uestion 2.
Q
State whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).
(i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to obtain a single pole.
Answer:
alseExplanation:When you break a magnet, each piece will still have both
F
North and South poles. You cannot get a piece with only one pole.
( ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each other.
Answer:
TrueExplanation:Northpole repels North pole, and South pole repels
South pole.
( iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar magnet when it is
brought near them.
Answer:
FalseExplanation:Iron filings mostly stick to theends(poles) of a bar
magnet where the magnetic field isstrongest. Themiddle parthas weaker
magnetism, so filings rarely stick there
( iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns with the north-south
direction.
Answer:
TrueExplanation:A freely hanging magnet acts like a compass and points
in the North-South direction.
uestion 3.
Q
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:
Column I Column II
N-N Repulsion
N-S Attraction
S-N Attraction
S-S Repulsion
uestion 4.
Q
Atharv performed an experiment in which he took a bar magnet and rolled
it over a heap of steel U-clips (Fig. 4.15).
Bar magnet and heap of steel U-clips
Table 4.3 : Number of pins attracted by the magnet at its various positions
ccording to you, which of the options given in Table 4.3 is likely to be his
A
observation?
Answer:
(i) According to Atharv’s experiment, option
(i) is likely to be his observation. At position A, Atharv observed that 10 steel
U-clips were attracted. In the middle of the bar magnet, he found only 2
U-clips sticking. At position C, 10 U-clips were again attracted. This
uggests that the magnetic field is equally strongest at the poles (Positions
s
A and C) and weakest in the middle (Position B).
uestion 5.
Q
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 identify which two bars are magnets by following these steps:
tep 1:Take any one bar (let's call it Bar A) and test it with the other two
S
bars (Bar B and Bar C).
Step 2:Bring Bar A close to Bar B:
If they attract each other, then both might be magnets
●
● If nothing happens, Bar A might be the iron piece
Step 3:Now bring Bar A close to Bar C and observe.
Step 4:The key test isrepulsion:
● M agnetscan both attract AND repel each other (depending on which
poles meet)
● Ironcan only attract magnets, it cannot repel
uestion 6.
Q
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?
nswer:
A
Step 1:Take the marked magnet andbring its North pole close to one end of
the unmarked magnet.
Step 2:Observe what happens:
If theyattract→ the unmarked end is aSouth pole
●
● If theyrepel→ the unmarked end is aNorth pole
Step 3:Test the other end of the unmarked magnet the same way.
Step 4:Mark the poles on your unmarked magnet.
uestion 7.
Q
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:
Method:Use the magnet as a compass!
Steps:
1 . Tie a thread around the middle of the bar magnet
2. Hang it freely so it can rotate
3. Wait for it to stop moving
4. The end that points toward the North direction (where the sun rises) is
theNorth poleof your magnet
5. The opposite end is theSouth pole
uestion 8.
Q
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?
nswer:
A
Yes! We can find Earth's magnetic poles by watching a compass.
How it works:
● T heNorth endof the compass needle points toward Earth'smagnetic
North pole
● TheSouth endof the compass needle points toward Earth's
magnetic South pole
● This is why compasses help us find directions
uestion 9.
Q
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:
Problem:Steel screws keep falling while repairing.
Solution:Make the screwdriver magnetic!
How to do it:
1. R ub a magnet along the screwdriver tip several times in the same
direction
2. This will make the screwdriver magnetic temporarily
3. Now the screws will stick to the screwdriver tip
4. The mechanic can easily pick up and hold screws while working
hy it works:Steel screws are magnetic materials, so they stick to
W
magnets.
uestion 10.
Q
Two ring magnets X and Y are arranged as shown in mg. 4.16. It is
bserved that the magnet X does not move down further. What could be
o
the possible reason? Suggest a way to bring the magnet X in contact with
magnet Y, without pushing either of the magnets.
wo ring magnets
T
Answer:
Problem:Ring magnet X floats above ring magnet Y and won't come down.
eason:Both magnets have thesame polesfacing each other (both North
R
or both South), so they repel and push apart.
Solution:Flip magnet X upside down!
Steps:
1 . Carefully lift magnet X
2. Turn it over so the opposite pole faces down
3. Now opposite poles will face each other
4. Since opposite poles attract, magnet X will move toward magnet Y
Remember:Same poles repel, opposite poles attract.
uestion 11.
Q
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, 5 and 6 of the
magnets? Polarity of one end (5) is given for you.
hree bar magnets
T
Answer:
Based on the figure given here and knowing that magnetic poles always
come in pairs (North and South), we can deduce the polarities at the ends:
Given:End 5 is North (N). Knowing that the opposite end of a magnet is the
opposite pole, the polarity at end 6, being the opposite end Of 5, will be
South (S).
Now, considering how the magnets are arranged:The end 5 is North, and
magnetically, the polarity flow is from North to South inside the magnet. So,
the end connected to 5 (which is end 4) must be South.
Since magnet 3 is connected directly to end 4:End 3 (opposite to end 4)
will be North (N).
The end connected to 3 (which is end 2) will be South (S),
Finally, the polarities can be stated as follows:
● End 1:North (N)
● End 2:South (S)
● End 3:North (N)
● End 4:South (S)
● End 6:South (S)