Here are the answers to the questions on your worksheet.
1. Magnetism is visible/invisible (circle one).
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Answer: Invisible
*(You cannot see magnetic fields with your eyes, but you can see their effects, like iron filings lining up.)*
2. The Earth itself is a giant magnet (True/False).
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Answer: True
*(The Earth has a magnetic core that creates a field around the planet.)*
3. A compass is just a magnet which is free to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
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Answer: spin (or rotate / move)
*(Because it is balanced on a pin, it can turn easily to point North.)*
4. Iron, nickel and \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ are the only three things that will stick to a magnet.
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Answer: cobalt
*(These are the three main ferromagnetic metals.)*
5. What creates magnetism?
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Answer: Moving electrons (or electric current).
*(Magnetism is caused by the motion of electric charges.)*
6. Where does Earth’s magnetic field come from?
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Answer: The Earth's core (specifically the movement of molten iron in the outer core).
7. With magnets, “likes” \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and “opposites” \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
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Answer: repel; attract
*(North pushes away North, but North pulls South.)*
8. How many poles do all magnets have?
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Answer: Two
*(Every magnet has a North pole and a South pole.)*
9. What does the ‘way cool scientist’ use magnet for?
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Answer: To pick up paper clips.
*(In the episode intro, he uses a magnet to lift a chain of paper clips.)*
10. List min. three everyday objects that contains a magnet:
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Answer: Refrigerator door seals, computer hard drives, speakers/headphones, credit cards, or toys.
11. What is formed whenever electrons are flowing?
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Answer: A magnetic field.
12. When the domains (little currents of electrons) line up, the iron, nickel or cobalt becomes a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
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Answer: Magnet.
13. Where on Earth can you see Northern and Southern Lights?
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Answer: At the poles (North Pole and South Pole).
14. What causes sunspots?
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Answer: The Sun's magnetic field.
*(Twisted magnetic lines on the Sun cause cooler, dark spots.)*
15. Why don’t Mars, Venus and the Moon have any magnetic fields?
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Answer: Their cores are not moving (they have cooled down and solidified), so they don't generate a magnetic field.
16. What do some animals use to help them find their way around?
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Answer: Earth's magnetic field.
*(Animals like birds, turtles, and bees use "magnetoreception" to navigate.)*
17. Aluminum is magnetic like iron and cobalt (True/False).
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Answer: False
*(Aluminum is not attracted to magnets.)*
Follow-up Questions:
*(These depend on what you personally watched, but here are good standard answers)*
1. List at least one new thing you have learned from this video.
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Example Answer: I learned that the Earth acts like a giant bar magnet with a North and South pole.
2. What question(s) may you still have about magnetism after watching this episode?
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Example Answer: Can we make a magnet out of something other than metal?
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of bill nye magnetism worksheet.
