THE NEW CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH SCHOOL [ICSE], RPC LAYOUT, BANGALORE

Std.IX : PHYSICS NOTES

TOPIC : A : MAGNETISM & B – ELECTROMAGNET AND ITS USES
I Exercise:
1. What is lodestone?
A piece of magnetite ore is called Natural magnet or Lodestone.

2. What is a natural magnet? What are the limitation of a natural

magnet?
Pieces of lodestone [magnetite (ie) oxide ore of iron [Fe 3O4] found
in nature are called natural magnets.
Natural magnets are found in irregular and odd shapes.
Moreover they do not have strong power for use. So artificial
magnets of iron or steel are made in different shapes and sizes
as are required.

3. What is an artificial magnet? Why are the artificial magnets

required?
An artificial magnet is a magnetised piece of iron or steel. Some
forms of artificial magnets are : bar magnet, horse shoe magnet,
magnetic needle, magnetic compass, etc.

Reasons for using artificial magnets :

(a) Natural magnets are weak. Irregular shaped cannot be used
as such for different uses. Artificial magnets are made of iron
in different magnetic sizes and shapes.
(b) A bar magnet, horse shoe magnet, magnetic needle, magnetic
compass, etc are few artificial magnets.

4. State four properties of a magnet.

(a) Like poles repel each other.
(b) Unlike poles attract each other
(c) Poles of magnet cannot be separated
 (d) Directional property [ie] when a magnet a suspended freely it
points along North and South direction.

5. What do you understand by poles of a magnet?

The end points of magnet where power of magnet is maximum
are called poles of a magnet.

6. Define the terms : Poles of a magnet, magnetic axis and effective

length of the magnet.
Poles of the magnet - End points of magnet where the
intensity of a magnet is maximum are
called poles of magnet.
Magnetic axis - The line joining the poles of a magnet is called
magnetic axis.
The effective length of a magnet – The distance between the
poles of a magnet is called its effective length

7. If a magnet is carefully broken into two equal pieces, how does

the magnetic strength of each piece compare with that of the
original magnet?
If a magnet is broken into equal pieces, then each piece will have
half number of magnetic molecules. Suppose the original piece
has 50 magnetic molecules, when broken into two equal pieces,
each magnet will have 25, 25 magnetic molecules. Thus
Strength of original magnet : Strength of each piece
50 : 25 : 2 : 1
 strength of each piece compared to that of original magnet =
1:2

8. Explain the meaning of the term induced magnetism.

The magnetism acquired by a magnetic material when it is kept
near a magnet is called induced magnetism.
9. Explain what do you understand by magnetic induction. What
role does it play in the attraction of a piece of iron by a magnet?
When a magnet is brought near a piece of iron it becomes a
magnet and remains magnet so long as the magnet is near it.
The nearer end becomes opposite polarity while farther end same
polarity.
The magnetism so acquired is called induced magnetism.

10. Explain the mechanism through which the unmagnetised iron

nails get attracted to a magnet brought near it.
This mechanism is called magnetic Induction. The nearer end of
nail is oppositely magnetised and opposite poles attract each
other, the nail gets attracted towards the magnet.

11. Explain the following:

(a) When two pins are hung by their heads from the same pole of
a magnet, their pointed ends fly apart.
(b) Several soft iron pins can be hung one below the other from
the pole of magnet, but they soon fall off when the magnet is
removed.
(c) The north pointing end of a compass needle which has come
to rest is attracted towards a piece of soft iron placed a little
distance away from it.

(a) Two pins hung by their heads from the

same pole of a magnet, their pointed ends
fly apart, because of repulsion between
the like poles [as shown in the fig]
polarity ....................... ends due to
which they repel each other.

(b) If a nail is brought near a pole of a bar magnet, magnetic

induction takes place and iron nail gets attracted by the
magnet and clings to it. This nail magnetises the other nail
by magnetic induction and attracts it. This continues till the
 force of magnetic attraction is sufficient to balance the weight
of nails.
Holding the uppermost nail in position, if the magnet is
removed, the nail lose their magnetism and get separated
from each other and fall down.
(c) It is due to attraction between magnet and iron piece.

12. A small iron bar is kept near the north pole of a magnet. How
does the iron bar acquire magnetism? Draw diagram to show
polarity on the iron bar. What will happen if the magnet is
removed?
S N
S N Iron Piece

Iron Nails

A small iron bar is kept near the north pole of a magnet. Then,
the part of iron bar near the north pole of magnet, gets the south
pole. Thus iron bar becomes a magnet itself. When the magnet
is removed from the iron bar then iron bar loses its magnetism.
This acquiring of magnetism by an iron piece in presence of a
magnet and losing it as soon as it is removed from magnet is
called magnetic induction.

13. ‘Induced magnetism is temporary’. Comment on this statement.

S N
S
N
S
N
S
N
 If one pole of a bar magnet is brought near small iron nails, they
form a chain of nails. The reason is that the bar magnet by
induction magnetises an iron nail which gets attracted to the
magnet and clings to it. It forms a chain of nails one below the
other. Now holding the uppermost nail in position by fingers
and if the magnet is removed, we find that all nails fall down, the
reason is that on removing the magnet the uppermost nail loses
its magnetism, so all the other nails also lose their magnetism
and fall down due to gravity. This shows that Induced
magnetism is temporary.

14. ‘Induction precedes attraction’. Explain the statement.

When a piece of iron is brought near one end of a magnet, the
nearer end of the piece acquired an opposite polarity by
magnetic induction. Thus the piece of iron first becomes a
magnet by induction and then it is attracted. In other words,
induction precedes attraction.

15. What do you understand by the term magnetic field lines?

A magnetic field line is a continuous curve in a magnetic field
such that tangent at any point of it gives the direction of the
magnetic field at that point.

16. State four properties of magnetic field lines.

(a) They are closed and continuous
(b) Outside the curves magnet, they are directed from the north
pole towards the south pole of the magnet.
(c) The tangent at any point on a field line gives the direction of
magnetic field at that point.
(d) Parallel and equidistant field lines represent a uniform
magnetic field. The earth’s magnetic field in a limited space is
uniform.
17. Explain why iron filings which are sprinkled on a sheet of
cardboard over a bar magnet take up definite positions when the
cardboard is slightly tapped.
We know that a magnet has magnetic field around it. Iron filings
which are sprinkled on a sheet of cardboard over a bar magnet
take up definite positions when the cardboard is slightly tapped,
because iron filings set themselves along magnetic lines of force
as iron filings are magnetised by induction and arrange
themselves in curved lines called magnetic lines of force.

18. State four evidences to show the existence of earth’s magnetic

field.
(a) A freely suspended magnetic needle always rests in
geographic north-south direction.
(b) An iron rod buried inside earth along north-south direction
becomes a magnet.
(c) Neutral points are obtained on plotting the field lines of a
magnet.
(d) A magnetic needle rests making different angles with
horizontal when suspended at different places of the earth.

19. Sketch four magnetic field lines as obtained in a limited space on

a horizontal plane in the earth’s magnetic field alone.

Geographic North
Lines of uniform Magnetic
field of earth

Geographic South
20. Fig shows the magnetic field lines in a magnetic field. A, B and C
are three points in this field.
(i) At what point is the magnetic field maximum
(ii) At what point is the magnetic field minimum
Give reasons for your answer.

(i) The magnetic field is maximum at C, the magnetic lines of

force are maximum near the poles.
(ii) The magnetic lines of force are minimum at a B. Six of
these lines of force dilate laterally.

21. Draw neat diagram to show non uniform magnetic field of a

strong bar magnet.
Refer Text Book Page.204 – Fig 10.8 a, b, c, d

22. Draw the pattern of magnetic field lines near a bar magnet
placed with its North pole pointing towards geographic north.
Indicate the position of neutral points by marking ‘X’
Refer Text Book Page.No.205 – Fig 10.9

23. Draw the pattern of magnetic field lines near a bar magnet
placed with sole pole pointing towards geographic North.
Indicate the position of neutral points by marking ‘X’
Refer Text Book Page. 206 – Fig 10.10
24. What is a neutral point? How is the position of neutral point
located with the use of a compass needle?
Neutral point : The points where the net magnetic field due to
the magnet and magnetic field of the earth is zero are called
‘Neutral Points.’

Location of neutral points: A small compass needle placed at

neutral point shall experiences no net force. Therefore it can set
itself in any direction, which may be different from the usual N-S
direction.
When NORTH Pole is placed towards North. Neutral points are
found in EAST and WEST direction on equatorial line of magnet.

When NORTH POLE is placed towards SOUTH, Neutral points

are found in NORTH and SOUTH direction on Axial line of
magnet.
25. Can two magnetic field lines intersect each other? Give reason to
your answer.
No if they do so, there will be two directions of magnetic field at
that point, which is impossible.

26. Draw at least two magnetic field lines between the two magnets.

27. Fig shows a bar magnet placed on the table top with its north
pole pointing towards south. The arrow shows the North –
South direction. There are no other magnets or magnetic
material nearby.
Refer Text Book – Page.206 – Fig 10.10

N S S N

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