Year 3 Science: Magnetic and non-magnetic materials
Part of the Year 3 Science magnets chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Magnetic and non-magnetic materials
A magnet does not attract everything. It attracts only some materials. A material that a magnet attracts is a magnetic material. A material that a magnet does not attract is a non-magnetic material.
Some metals are magnetic, such as iron, steel and nickel. Other metals are not magnetic, such as aluminium and copper. So a magnet attracts some metals, but not all metals.
Materials such as wood, plastic, glass, paper and rubber are not magnetic.
The table shows eight objects that were tested with a magnet.
| Object | What it is made of | Does a magnet attract it? |
|---|---|---|
| Steel paper clip | steel | yes |
| Steel nail | steel | yes |
| Aluminium foil ball | aluminium | no |
| Copper wire | copper | no |
| Plastic bottle top | plastic | no |
| Wooden lolly stick | wood | no |
| Glass marble | glass | no |
| Rubber band | rubber | no |
Key ideas
- A magnetic material is a material that a magnet attracts.
- A non-magnetic material is a material that a magnet does not attract.
- Iron, steel and nickel are magnetic materials.
- A magnet attracts some metals, but not all metals.
Method. Find the row for the steel nail.
- Find the row. The row says Steel nail.Steel nail
- Read the last column. The last column says that the magnet attracts it.yes
- Write the answer. yes
Check. Steel is a magnetic material. ✓
Method. Find the row for the aluminium foil.
- Find the row. The row says Aluminium foil ball.Aluminium foil ball
- Read the last column. The last column says that the magnet does not attract it.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Aluminium is a metal, but it is not magnetic. ✓
Watch out. A metal is not always a magnetic material.
Method. Count the rows that say yes.
- Read the last column. Only the steel paper clip and the steel nail say yes.two yes rows
- Count them. So the magnet attracts two of the eight objects.2
- Write the answer. 2
Check. The other six objects say no. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a metal is not always magnetic. A magnet does not attract aluminium foil or copper wire, even though both are metals. Some kinds of steel, such as some stainless steel, are not attracted either, so test each object yourself rather than guessing.
Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). Choose four safe objects from around the home, such as a paper clip, a plastic lid, a rubber band and a piece of aluminium foil. With a grown-up, hold a fridge magnet close to each one. Does it stick? Put the objects into two groups: magnetic and non-magnetic. Keep magnets away from your mouth, and never let small children swallow or play with small magnets.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which objects stuck to the magnet? Did any object that looks like metal not stick?” Let your child use the words magnetic and non-magnetic.
Exercise 10B Magnetic and non-magnetic materials
Method. Read the key idea in section 10.2.
- Read the list. Wood is one of the materials that are not magnetic.not magnetic
- Name the group. A material that a magnet does not attract is a non-magnetic material.non-magnetic material
- Write the answer. non-magnetic material
Check. A magnet does not attract wood. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 10.2.
- Read the list. Iron, steel and nickel are magnetic materials.iron
- Write the answer. yes
Check. Iron is one of the magnetic metals. ✓
Method. Read the list in section 10.2.
- Read the list. Glass is in the list of materials that are not magnetic.not magnetic
- Write the answer. no
Check. A magnet does not attract glass. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 10.2.
- Read the key idea. A magnet attracts some metals, but not all metals.not all
- Write the answer. all
Check. Some metals are magnetic, and some are not. ✓
Method. Read the last column of the table.
- Find the two objects. The steel paper clip is a yes, and the copper wire is a no.yes and no
- Write the name. So the steel paper clip is attracted to the magnet.Steel paper clip
- Write the answer. Steel paper clip
Check. Copper is a metal, but a magnet does not attract it. ✓
Method. Find the metal objects that say no.
- Find the metals. Aluminium and copper are metals.aluminium and copper
- Check the last column. Both rows say no, so the magnet does not attract them.no
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: Aluminium foil ball, Copper wire.
Check. Some metals are not magnetic, so a magnet does not attract them. ✓
Method. Count the rows that say no.
- Read the last column. Six rows say no.six no rows
- Check the total. Two yes and six no make eight objects, so six is correct.2 + 6 = 8
- Write the answer. 6
Check. The two yes rows and the six no rows make the eight objects. ✓
Method. Read the key idea in section 10.2.
- Read the list. Iron, steel and nickel are magnetic materials.iron, steel and nickel
- Pick one that is not steel. Iron, or nickel, is a magnetic material that is not steel.iron or nickel
- Write the answer. Accept iron or nickel.
Check. Steel is one magnetic material, and iron is another. ✓
Method. Read the definition in section 10.2.
- Read the definition. A magnetic material is a material that a magnet attracts.magnetic material
- Write the answer. magnetic material
Check. A non-magnetic material is the opposite. ✓
Method. Think about shiny objects in the table.
- Think about the glass marble. The glass marble is shiny, but a magnet does not attract it.glass marble
- Decide. So a shiny object is not always attracted, and Mo is not right.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Shine does not decide whether a magnet attracts something. ✓
Method. Think about each material.
- Think about the steel nail. Steel is a magnetic material, so the magnet attracts the nail.steel is magnetic
- Think about the plastic. Plastic is a non-magnetic material, so the magnet does not attract the bottle top.plastic is not magnetic
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says steel is a magnetic material and is attracted, but plastic is not magnetic, so a magnet does not attract it.
Check. Magnetic materials are attracted, and non-magnetic materials are not. ✓
Method. Think about what makes a test fair.
- Think about the test. Only the object should change, so the magnet and the way you hold it must stay the same.stay the same
- Write one thing. For example, use the same magnet each time.same magnet
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: the same magnet; the same way of holding the magnet; the same distance from the object.
Check. Change only one thing in a fair test. ✓