Magnet Mania: Pick Me Up Experiment - WORKSHEET - Grades 4 to 7 ... - Free Printable

This worksheet titled "PICK ME UP" is a science activity designed to help students learn about magnetism by predicting and testing which objects are magnetic. The goal is to determine which materials are attracted to a magnet.

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🔬 Objective:

Predict which objects will be picked up by a magnet, then test them and record the results.

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🧲 How Magnets Work:

Magnets attract certain metals, especially those made of iron, nickel, or cobalt. They do not attract non-metallic materials like plastic, wood, paper, or most coins (unless they contain magnetic metals).

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✔ Step-by-Step Solution:

We'll go through each object and determine:
1. Prediction: Will a magnet pick it up?
2. Reality: What actually happens when tested?

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| Object | Prediction | Magnet Picked Up |
|--------------------------|------------|--------------------|
| nail | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| stick | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| paper clip (metal) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| paper clip (plastic) | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| tack | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| button (metal) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| button (plastic) | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| brass fastener | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| penny | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| nickel | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| dime | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| quarter | ✘ No | ✘ No |
| hairpin | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| crayon | ✘ No | ✘ No |

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💡 Explanation for Each Item:

- Nail: Made of iron → Magnetic ✔
- Stick: Wood → Not magnetic ✘
- Paper clip (metal): Usually steel (iron) → Magnetic ✔
- Paper clip (plastic): Plastic → Not magnetic ✘
- Tack: Steel or iron → Magnetic ✔
- Button (metal): Depends, but often steel or iron → Magnetic ✔
- Button (plastic): Plastic → Not magnetic ✘
- Brass fastener: Brass is copper + zinc → Not magnetic ✘
- Penny: Copper-plated zinc (modern U.S. pennies) → Not magnetic ✘
- Nickel: Contains nickel → Magnetic ✔
- Dime: Copper and nickel alloy (but not magnetic) → Not magnetic ✘
- Quarter: Copper and nickel alloy → Not magnetic ✘
- Hairpin: Often steel or iron → Magnetic ✔
- Crayon: Wax and pigment → Not magnetic ✘

> ⚠️ Note: Some coins may be magnetic depending on their composition and country of origin. In the U.S., only nickels and some older coins (like pre-1943 pennies) are magnetic. Modern pennies, dimes, and quarters are not magnetic.

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✍️ Final Answer at Bottom:

> A magnet will pick up:
> *nails, metal paper clips, tacks, metal buttons, nickels, and hairpins.*

(These are all made of magnetic metals like iron or steel.)

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📝 Summary:

- Magnetic Objects: Nail, metal paper clip, tack, metal button, nickel, hairpin
- Non-Magnetic Objects: Stick, plastic paper clip, plastic button, brass fastener, penny, dime, quarter, crayon

✔ This experiment teaches students that only certain metals (especially iron, steel, and nickel) are attracted to magnets.

Let me know if you'd like this turned into a printable answer key!