Year 3 Science · Magnets · Summary
Year 3 Science Magnets: summary and key words
Part of the Year 3 Science magnets chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Attract and repel | Magnets attract (pull towards each other) or repel (push away from each other). They can do this across a small gap. |
| Magnetic materials | A magnet attracts some materials, such as iron, steel and nickel. It does not attract wood, plastic, glass or rubber, and it does not attract all metals. |
| Sorting with a magnet | Sort objects into two groups with the same magnet, then count each group. The groups add up to the total. |
| Poles | A bar magnet has two poles, one at each end, where the pulling is strongest. |
| Like and unlike poles | Like poles repel: two N poles, or two S poles. Unlike poles attract: an N pole and an S pole. |
| Fair test of magnets | Change only the magnet. Keep the clips, the tray and the way of lifting the same. Repeat three times and find the average. |
Can you…?
- I can say what attract and repel mean, and give an example of each
- I can sort objects into magnetic and non-magnetic materials, using a magnet
- I can say that a magnet attracts some metals, but not all metals
- I can say that a bar magnet has two poles, one at each end
- I can predict whether two magnets will attract or repel, from the poles that face each other
- I can plan and read a fair test that compares two magnets, and find the average
Key terms
- magnet
- an object that attracts some materials, and can attract or repel other magnets
- attract
- to pull towards each other
- repel
- to push away from each other
- magnetic material
- a material that a magnet attracts, such as iron, steel or nickel
- non-magnetic material
- a material that a magnet does not attract, such as wood, plastic, glass or aluminium
- pole
- one of the two places on a magnet where its pulling is strongest, usually at its ends
- N and S
- the letters often used to mark the two poles of a magnet: N for north and S for south
- like poles
- two north poles, or two south poles, which repel each other
- unlike poles
- a north pole and a south pole, which attract each other
- fair test
- a test where only one thing is changed, and everything else is kept the same
- average
- the total of several results, divided by how many results there are