A bar magnet has a north pole, N, and a south pole, S. Opposite poles pull toward each other. Matching poles push apart. Turn one magnet to change which poles face each other. A bar magnet remains a two-pole object when turned. Ordinary magnetic dipoles do not become isolated north or south poles by rotation or simple cutting. The lesson isolates polarity and mutual interaction while omitting detailed fields, material hysteresis and electromagnet design. Apply the pole rule to a new orientation at the checkpoint.
Forces, motion and energy · Discover & try
When do two magnets push apart?
Reading level 5 of 5 · AdvancedChange
Word help
Pole
A north or south region used to describe a magnet’s orientation.
Repulsion
An interaction tending to push objects apart.
Attraction
An interaction tending to pull objects together.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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Qualitative bar-magnet interaction and external field-direction sketch, with no calibrated force law.
What to look for
- S faces N and the magnets approach each other.
- S faces S and the magnets move apart.
Explain what you noticed
In a separate setup, the south pole of one bar magnet faces the south pole of another. What tendency is expected?
Keep this idea: Like magnetic poles repel and unlike poles attract; the interaction acts on both magnets.
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Source material checked 2026-10-29. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Source links do not imply endorsement.
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