A student is given two pieces of iron and told to determine if one or both of the pieces are magnets. First, the student touches an end of one piece to one end of the other. The two pieces of iron attract. Next, the student reverses one of the pieces and again touches the ends together. The two pieces attract again. What does the student definitely know about the initial magnetic properties of the two pieces of iron?

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### Magnetic Properties Experiment

**Problem Statement:**

A student is given two pieces of iron and is instructed to determine if one or both pieces are magnets. The student performs the following tests:

1. The student touches an end of one piece of iron to one end of the other piece. The two pieces of iron attract.
2. The student then reverses one of the pieces and touches the ends together again. The two pieces attract once more.

**Question:**

What does the student definitely know about the initial magnetic properties of the two pieces of iron?

**Explanation:**

Let's break down the steps and observations to understand what the student learned from the experiment.

1. **Initial Test:**
   - The student touches an end of one piece to an end of the other piece, and they attract.
   - This indicates that there is at least one magnetic pole present in one of the pieces, which is attracted to the other piece.

2. **Reversing the Pieces:**
   - When the ends are reversed, the pieces still attract.
   - If both pieces were simple iron (non-magnetic), flipping them would not change anything. However, the continuous attraction suggests that at least one of those pieces has magnetic properties.

**Conclusion:**

Given the results of the tests, the student can definitely conclude that **at least one of the pieces of iron is a magnet**. The consistent attraction in both orientations suggests that one piece is exerting a magnetic force, which could not happen if both pieces were non-magnetic iron.
Transcribed Image Text:### Magnetic Properties Experiment **Problem Statement:** A student is given two pieces of iron and is instructed to determine if one or both pieces are magnets. The student performs the following tests: 1. The student touches an end of one piece of iron to one end of the other piece. The two pieces of iron attract. 2. The student then reverses one of the pieces and touches the ends together again. The two pieces attract once more. **Question:** What does the student definitely know about the initial magnetic properties of the two pieces of iron? **Explanation:** Let's break down the steps and observations to understand what the student learned from the experiment. 1. **Initial Test:** - The student touches an end of one piece to an end of the other piece, and they attract. - This indicates that there is at least one magnetic pole present in one of the pieces, which is attracted to the other piece. 2. **Reversing the Pieces:** - When the ends are reversed, the pieces still attract. - If both pieces were simple iron (non-magnetic), flipping them would not change anything. However, the continuous attraction suggests that at least one of those pieces has magnetic properties. **Conclusion:** Given the results of the tests, the student can definitely conclude that **at least one of the pieces of iron is a magnet**. The consistent attraction in both orientations suggests that one piece is exerting a magnetic force, which could not happen if both pieces were non-magnetic iron.
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