“Introduction to forces-

A force is an external influence that can change the motion, direction or shape of objects. Examples
of forces include mechanical forces, such as pushes, pulls and friction, as well as gravity and
magnetic forces. A force can be applied to an object but is not a property of the object itself. All living
and non-living things can apply, and be affected by, forces. A force can cause an object to start or
stop moving and change its speed and/or direction of movement. Forces can also change the shape
of objects.

Force has two aspects: magnitude and direction. The magnitude of the force refers to the size or
amount of force exerted; for example, if it is a strong or a weak push.

More than one force can act on an object at any one time; for example, our standing body is pulled
down to the ground and the ground pushes back. We are stationary because even though there are
two forces acting on us, these forces are of equal magnitude in opposite directions. It is the sum of
the forces acting on an object, its shape and the nature of the materials it is made of that determine
what happens to an object.

Forces can act through direct contact, such as physical pushes and pulls, friction, and air or water
resistance. The force exerted by a magnet acts at a distance. This means that a magnet does not
have to touch an object to exert a force on it. There are other forces that act at a distance, including
gravity and static electric force. Magnets cannot exert a force on an object that is too far away.

A magnetic field is the region around a magnet in which the magnet exerts force. Many small pieces
of iron, called iron filings, are used to show the magnetic field around a magnet. The iron filings form
a pattern of lines called magnetic field lines. The arrangement of the magnetic field lines depends on
the shape of the magnet, but the lines always extend from one pole to the other pole. The force is
weaker farther away from the magnet.

Students’ conceptions

Taking account of students’ existing ideas is important in planning effective teaching approaches
that help students learn science. Students develop their own ideas during their experiences in
everyday life and might hold more than one idea about an event or phenomenon.

For many students, the idea of force might be limited to those forces involving physical contact.
Though we experience many forces that have direct contact, there are also forces that act at a
distance, such as gravity, magnetic and electrical forces.

Students often associate forces and motion with living things, particularly humans and animals.
Forces act on all objects regardless of whether they are living or non-living.

Students might think that if an object is not moving, then there is no force acting on it; and if a body
is moving, then there is force acting on it only in the direction of motion. A paperclip resting on a
table may be still, but it has two forces acting upon it: the pull of gravity, which is balanced by the
push of the table. It takes an unbalanced force to create movement; for example, the addition of a
magnetic force pulling in one direction below the table.

Magnetic Earth

Earth acts like a big magnet and produces a magnetic field. This is why compasses point in a
predictable direction. Consequently, Earth has two types of poles: The geographic poles, which
represent the ends of the vertical axis around which the planet rotates. The magnetic poles, which
are the ends of the vertical axis through Earth’s magnetic field and the points to which compasses
gravitate towards. Earth’s geographic poles and the magnetic poles are not in exactly the same
place, although they are near each other.

Although it behaves like one, the Earth does not actually contain a magnet. Scientists think that
Earth’s magnetic field (the geomagnetic field) is generated by convection currents in the molten
metal (iron alloys) deep inside the Earth (inside its outer core). The geomagnetic field is not as stable
as a magnet, the Poles occasionally unpredictably inverse (the North Pole becomes the South Pole
and vice versa).

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Magnetic fields
Like poles repel and unlike poles attract. When the north poles of two magnets are brought together,
the magnets will be repelled; that is, they will move away from each other. The same thing happens
when the south poles are brought together. When the north pole of one magnet is brought near the
south pole of another, the two magnets will strongly attract each other and will move towards each
other.
The area of force (magnetic field) surrounding a magnet can be represented by lines of force. When
opposite or unlike poles of a magnet are brought together, the lines of force join up and the magnets
pull together. When like poles of a magnet are brought together, the lines of force push away from
each other and the magnets repel each other.”

(Information within this box is a direct quote from- Primary Connections, 2019)
 Filings experiment results
Filing Bubble- Filings show no orientation, randomly Bar Magnet- note concentration of filings at the poles.
distributed Weak circular forces radiate out from the poles
demonstrating that non-contact force become weaker
as the move away from the poles.
Horseshoe Magnet- Filing concentration at the poles. Circular Fridge Magnet- forms lines as the magnet is multiple
field radiating in a circular manner between the poles, stripes of magnetic material. Students should note that
greater concentration closer to the magnetic demonstrating this magnet is attracted to both north and south poles.
that non-contact force become weaker as the move away Fridge Magnets is a Halbach Array (magnetic
from the poles. superposition) which is an arrangement of magnets that
strengthens the field only one side. This is why fridge
magnets only “stick” on one side (See below)

Optional information for Extension students

Halbach Array/magnetic superposition

A Halbach array is a special

arrangement of permanent magnets
that makes the magnetic field on one
side of the array stronger, while
cancelling the field to near zero on the
other side. This is very different from
the magnetic field around a single
magnet. With a single magnet, you
have an equal strength magnetic field
on either side of the magnet. The field
strength, indicated by the colour scale, is equally strong on the top and bottom of the magnet. In contrast, the Halbach
array shown at right has a very strong field on the top, and a fairly weak field on the bottom. Retrieved from-
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Pencil Levitators
Purchased Levitator Pencil Levitator- for student construction

Written instructions
Supplies:

 Scissors
 6 ring magnets
 4 thin Rubber bands
 Pen or pencil
 Foam board
 Tongue depressor/paddle pop stick

1. First, thread your pencil through two ring magnets. Use the rubber bands to secure the magnets in
place on either end of the pencil. Make sure the magnets are evenly spaced apart and measure the
distance between them carefully.
2. Push the remaining four ring magnets into the foam board so that they’re still visible. Arrange them
into rows parallel to each other. Make sure the space between the magnets matches that of the
distance between the magnets on the pencil. If necessary, you can glue them in place, but wrapping
rubber bands around the pencil should be sufficient. You
also want to make sure the poles of the ring magnets in
the foam are all facing the same direction (see diagram)
3. Use a small piece of cardboard as the headboard for your
floating display. You can insert a small section at the
bottom of the headboard into the foam to hold it in place.
4. Now, put the tip of the pencil into the headboard to hold
it in place. The magnets arranged in the foam should repel
those on the pencil, making it float. If the pencil does not
float as it should, you can adjust the arrangement of the
magnets as needed and make sure the poles are facing
the right direction.

YouTube Link
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