Magnet Playground

What is this experiment about?

Drag the magnet near each object. Some will snap right to it — those are magnetic! Others won't budge at all.

Questions kids ask

What makes something magnetic?

Materials like iron, steel and nickel are magnetic. Most other materials, like wood, plastic and paper, are not.

Are all coins magnetic?

It depends on what metal they're made from — many coins are not strongly magnetic.

Why doesn't a magnet pull wood or plastic?

Those materials don't contain the kind of metal atoms that respond to a magnetic field.