Your bar magnet sits on the left. The unknown bar on the right could be a magnet, an unmagnetised magnetic material such as iron, or a non-magnetic material such as copper. Drag your magnet towards it and watch the force arrows grow as the gap closes. Test with both poles before you decide: only repulsion proves a magnet, attraction with either pole means a magnetic material, and no force at all means non-magnetic.
MissionIdentify the unknown bar: a magnet, a magnetic material, or non-magnetic?Round 1Streak 0Best 0
Predict this approach:
Verdict:
pole facing the unknownN
gap12.0 cm
forcenone yet
tests this roundnone
repulsion seenno
Like poles repel, unlike poles attract. A magnet attracts unmagnetised iron or steel by inducing an opposite pole in it. Non-magnetic materials feel nothing.