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Year 9

The magnetic field of a bar magnet

I can plot a magnetic field around a bar magnet.

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New
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Year 9

The magnetic field of a bar magnet

I can plot a magnetic field around a bar magnet.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The needle of a plotting compass lines up with the magnetic field of a magnet.
  2. A magnetic field line can be followed from the north–seeking pole to the south–seeking pole of a magnet.
  3. Arrows on magnetic field lines show the direction in which the north–seeking pole of another magnet would be forced.
  4. The magnetic field of a bar magnet is symmetrical.
  5. Magnetic field lines do not cross over and are continuous.

Keywords

  • Magnetic field - A region where a magnetic material experiences a force.

  • Plotting compass - A small compass that can show the field of a magnet.

  • North-seeking magnetic pole - The end of a compass needle which points to the north of Earth.

  • South-seeking magnetic pole - The end of a compass needle which points to the south of Earth.

  • Field line - An imaginary line that shows the direction and shape of a magnetic field.

Common misconception

The magnetic field is only at the poles of a magnet.

Provide opportunities for pupils to plot magnetic field lines around a bar magnet and to experiment with a second magnet, as described in the teacher tip.


To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: The magnetic field of a bar magnet, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You can use a visualiser to demonstrate the action of field lines by holding in place a bar magnet on a sheet of paper with its field lines plotted around it, and gently pushing the north–seeking pole of a second magnet towards it, which is forced along the field line it is on.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

Plotting compass, bar magnet, A4 plain paper, iron filings.

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Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following statements about magnets is correct?
they have a single pole
Correct answer: they have two poles
they have three poles
they can have any even number of poles
Q2.
Which of the following statements about a south–seeking pole are correct?
it will point north
Correct answer: it will point south
Correct answer: it will attract to the N–pole of a magnet
it will attract to the S–pole of a magnet
Q3.
If a magnet is broken into two pieces, how many poles will there be in total?
1 pole
2 poles
3 poles
Correct answer: 4 poles
Q4.
Which of the following statements about the magnetic force is correct?
Correct answer: it is a non–contact force
it is a contact force
it is a charge force
it is an electrostatic force
Q5.
What does the part of a bar magnet, shown in the image, do?
An image in a quiz
it seeks north
Correct answer: it seeks south
it does not seek north or south
it seeks both north and south
Q6.
Which of the following statements is correct?
a magnet will attract and repel an iron nail
Correct answer: a magnet will attract and repel another magnet
a magnet will only attract another magnet
a magnet will only repel an iron nail

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following materials can be used to show the magnetic field of a magnet?
sawdust
lycopodium powder
Correct answer: iron filings
water spray
Q2.
How are iron filings affected by a magnet?
Correct answer: they mainly collect at the poles
they are evenly distributed around the magnet
they collect in the centre of the magnet
they are repelled away from the magnet
Q3.
What causes a compass needle to point towards Earth's north pole?
the Moon's magnetic field
Correct answer: Earth's magnetic field
the charge inside Earth
the charge in the atmosphere
Q4.
Which of the following correctly describes the direction in which the needle of a plotting compass will point?
Correct answer: away from the N–pole of a magnet
away from the S–pole of a magnet
towards the N–pole of a magnet
Correct answer: towards the S-pole of a magnet
Q5.
In which direction do magnetic field lines point?
from the S–pole of a magnet to the N–pole of a magnet
from the S–pole of a magnet to the S–pole of a magnet
Correct answer: from the N–pole of a magnet to the S–pole of a magnet
from the N–pole of a magnet to the N–pole of a magnet
Q6.
Which of the following statements about magnetic field lines are correct?
Correct answer: fewer lines in an area indicate a weaker magnetic field
they can be seen with an infrared camera
Correct answer: they are continuous
they come out of the centre of a bar magnet

Additional material

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