Magnetic Fields

Magnets generate a field around them that interacts with other magnets and magnetic materials. In general, the field is stronger the closer you are to the magnet. When fridge magnets are brought close to the steel surface of a fridge, they get sucked in. This is the field generated by the magnet interacting with the magnetic material.

This is the magnetic field around a bar magnet. The north and south poles are marked and field lines are drawn from one pole to the other.

There are a few key points to make about field lines:

• Field lines never cross

• The more densely packed the field lines, the stronger the field

• Field lines have a direction and always point from the north to south poles