Question

what are the characteristics of a magnet?

Answer 1

attracting and repelling
unlike poles and like poles
respectively....

Answer 2

Magnets attract objects of iron, cobalt and nickel. 
    2. The force of attraction of a magnet is greater at its poles than in the middle. 
    3. Like poles of two magnets repel each other. 
    4. Opposite poles of two magnets attracts each other. 
    5. If a bar magnet is suspended by a thread and if it is free to rotate, its South Pole will move towards     the North Pole of the earth and vice versa.