Question

Taylor places a nail on a bar magnet. The nail sticks to the magnet when lifted up off the table. She touches a paperclip to the nail and it sticks to the nail. Explain what happened to the magnetic domains of the nail before and after touching it to the bar magnet.

Answer 1

Taylor places a nail on a bar magnet. The nail sticks to the magnet when lifted up off the table. She touches a paperclip to the nail and it sticks to the nail. Explain what happened to the magnetic domains of the nail before and after touching it to the bar magnet.

Answer 2

Prior to touching the bar magnet, the magnetic domains in the nail were pointing in random directions. When Taylor touched the nail to the bar magnet the magnetic fields of the magnetic domains aligned and it became a temporary magnet.