Floating magnets

Floating magnets

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
This task is about magnets.
This is a diagram of a child's toy.
Each ring has a magnet inside, so ring 2 seems to "float" above ring 1.
magnet-rings-main-diagram.png
 

Question

a) Which of the following diagrams show how the toy could be made.
     (Select the answer/s you think are true)

    • floating-magnet-A.png

    • Floating-magnet-B.png

    • Floating-magnet-C.png

    • floating-magnet-D.png

    • floating-magnet-E.png

    • floating-magnet-F.png

Question 3Change answer

b)  Explain why the top ring "floats" above the bottom ring.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (with SOME auto marking).
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Physical World
Keywords: 
physics concepts, magnetism, magnets
Description of task: 
Students investigate magnetic repulsion using two magnets and pieces of iron. They are assessed on their understanding of like poles repelling.
Making Better Sense: 
Magnetic Fields
Answers/responses: 
 

Y8 (10/1997)
a)
floating-magnet-A.png
 
floating-magnet-E.png
 easy
b) The magnets in Ring 1 and Ring 2 are repelling each other/like (similar) poles repel. difficult