Question

What rule or reasoning did you use to decide how to label the cut end of the short piece of magnet?

Answer 1

Answer:

You can think of a magnet as a bundle of tiny magnets, called magnetic domains, that are jammed together. Each one reinforces the magnetic fields of the others. Each one has a tiny north and south pole. If you cut one in half, the newly cut faces will become the new north or south poles of the smaller pieces.