Magnetic materials: will it stick?: what children learn
A magnet pulls on some materials and not others. In Year 3, children test everyday objects, sort them into "attracted to a magnet" and "not attracted", and learn to name some magnetic materials. The big surprise is that being a metal is not enough. Iron and steel are magnetic, but most other metals, such as aluminium, copper, brass, gold and silver, are not.
This game shows four everyday objects and asks which one is attracted to a magnet, or which one is not. It uses objects whose material is clear: a steel paper clip, an aluminium drinks can, a brass key. We have left out coins and stainless-steel cutlery on purpose, because some are magnetic and some are not, which makes a great investigation but a confusing quiz question. Try those at home with a fridge magnet.
This topic covers the Year 3 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Forces and magnets): pupils should be taught to “compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials”. Year 3 pupils are usually aged 7–8.
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 120-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Ask "Is it a metal?". If it is not a metal (plastic, wood, glass, paper, fabric, rubber), it is not attracted to a magnet.
- If it is a metal, ask "Does it contain iron?". Iron and steel (which is mostly iron) are magnetic. Paper clips, nails and food tins are usually steel.
- Remember the non-magnetic metals. Aluminium (drinks cans, foil), copper (pipes, wires), brass (many keys), gold and silver are not attracted to magnets.
- Test, don't guess. Shiny is not a clue. Hold a magnet close and see whether it pulls.
- Sort and record. Put objects into two groups and write a sentence: "Magnets attract iron and steel."
Worked examples
Example 1: Which of these is attracted to a magnet: a gold ring, a steel paper clip, a plastic ruler or a glass marble?
Working: Only one of these contains iron. Paper clips are made of steel, which is mostly iron.
Answer: The steel paper clip.
Example 2: Which of these is NOT attracted to a magnet: an iron nail, a steel food tin, an aluminium drinks can or iron filings?
Working: Aluminium is a metal, but it is not magnetic.
Answer: The aluminium drinks can.
Example 3: Is a brass key magnetic?
Working: Brass is made from copper and zinc. Neither is magnetic.
Answer: No.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Thinking all metals are magnetic. Test an aluminium can and a steel tin side by side. Both are metal; only the steel tin sticks.
- Thinking magnets attract anything shiny. Try foil, a shiny bauble and a mirror. Shine does not matter; iron does.
- Saying a magnet "sticks" to paper when it holds a drawing on the fridge. The magnet is pulling the steel fridge door through the paper. Paper itself is not attracted.
Activities to try at home
- Go round the kitchen with a fridge magnet and test ten things. Make two piles: sticks and does not stick.
- Test cans in the recycling: steel food tins stick, aluminium drinks cans do not. Recycling centres use magnets to sort them.
- Try some coins and spoons and find out which ones are magnetic. Talk about why the results differ.
- Print the worksheet and check your child's answers with a real magnet where you can.
Ideas for the classroom
- Give groups a tray of objects and a magnet; they predict, test and record in a two-column table.
- Show how magnets are used to separate steel and aluminium cans at recycling centres.
- Ask pupils to find one surprising result and explain it to the class.
- Use the game as a quick check before moving on to poles, attraction and repulsion.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why are some coins magnetic?
It depends on what the coin is made of. Since 1992, UK 1p and 2p coins have been made of steel with a copper coating, so most of them stick to a magnet; older ones are mostly copper and do not. That is why coins are a great test but are left out of the quiz.
Are stainless-steel spoons magnetic?
Some are and some are not. Stainless steel comes in different types, and the most common type used for cutlery and sinks is usually not attracted to a magnet.
Which metals are magnetic?
At primary level, iron and steel. Nickel and cobalt are magnetic too, but children rarely meet them on their own.