Investigation 1 ‘The Force” Big Ideas
1. Can you think of a general rule about
what magnets stick to?
a. Magnets stick to iron.
2. What happens when two magnets come
together?
a. Magnets can attract or repel,
depending on the orientation of the
poles.
3. What is a force?
a. A force is a push or a pull.
4. What happens when you touch a piece
of iron to a permanent magnet?
a. The magnetic field of the
permanent magnet induces
magnetism in the piece of iron. The
iron becomes a temporary magnet.
Magnetism can be induced only by
iron.
4th Grade
Magnetism and Electricity
Investigation 1
5. Is the force of magnetism stopped by
any materials? How do you know?
a. The force of magnetism is
“stopped” by the thick objects and
sheets of steel.
6. How does the distance affect the ability
of a magnet to attract a piece of iron?
a. Distance weakens the magnetic
force between a magnet and another
object or another magnet.
7. What happens to the strength of
attraction between two magnets as the
distance between them increases?
a. The greater the distance between
two magnets, the weaker the force of
attraction.
8. What is a compass?
a. A compass is a magnet used to
detect Earth’s magnetic field.
9. How can you make a compass?
4th Grade
Magnetism and Electricity
Investigation 1
a. Hang a magnet so it is free to rotate
in response to Earth’s magnetic
field.
10. How can you tell a force of a magnet is
present?
a. Compass, iron fillings, and iron
objects can be used to detect a
magnetic field.
11. How can you use iron fillings to tell if
the object in the box is a magnet or a
steel washer?
a. A magnet will attract iron fillings,
and a steel washer will not.
12. How can you use a compass to tell if
the object in the box is a magnet or a
steel washer?
a. A magnet will attract iron fillings,
and a steel washer will not.
4th Grade
Magnetism and Electricity
Investigation 1
13. How can you use a compass to tell if
the object in the box is a magnet or a
steel washer?
a. If it is a magnet in the box, one end
of the compass needle will always
seek one side of the magnet, and the
other end will always seek the other
side of the magnet.
4th Grade
Magnetism and Electricity
Investigation 1