Question

Give a reason why attraction is not regarded as a reliable method of testing polarity in magnetism

Answer 1

Attraction occurs between unlike poles of a magnet and can also occur between a magnet and unmagnetised magnetic material

Answer 2

A magnet can lose its magnetism. A magnetic substance is made a magnet by making the molecules which are individually possessing magnetic properties align in a particular direction. In the unmagnetized state they are arranged randomly and hence do not have magnetic behaviour. If a magnet is heated, beaten, mishandled etc, it will lose its magnetism. Why repulsion is the sure test for magnetism? A magnet can attract the opposite pole of other magnet as well as the magnetic substance (iron cobalt nickel). SO, if A magnet attracts another object, we cannot say that the other object is a magnet. But if the magnet repels the object, then we can surely say that the other object is a magnet. Because “Like poles of a magnet repel each other”