Why Do Opposite Magnets Attract?

Magnetism

• Magnetism is a force of attraction. Magnetic energy attracts but it also has the ability to repulse, or push away. Magnetism is observed in electric current, but also in magnets. The force that is created by two magnets or magnets attracting other objects is called magnetism.

Magnets

• A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field around it. This magnetic field is witnessed when a magnets gets close to and attracts materials like iron, steel, nickel or cobalt. When you place two magnets close together you will notice that when facing one way, the magnets pull toward one another, but if reversed, these same magnets will push away from one another.

Poles

• The reason that two magnets will attract or repulse each other has to do with the poles of the magnet. A magnet has a north and south pole. When allowed to rotate, the north pole end of a magnet will point in the direction of the North Pole. Conversely the south pole end of the magnet will face toward the South Pole. Energy emanates in invisible lines from the polar ends of a magnet, creating a field of force that causes two opposing poles to pull together and like poles to push apart when facing one another.

Fields of Force

• Magnets create a field of force at each end due to negatively charged electrons that are in motion. These fields of force have imaginary lines of flux that move the electrons from one end of the magnet to the other. The attraction or repulsion of two magnets is dependent on the poles and the moving of electrically-charged particles. This causes magnets at opposite poles to attract one another.