Chapter 20, Problem 27Q

To determine

To explain: The reason behind attracting an unmagnetized piece of iron by either pole.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

The object produces magnetic field around it. Magnet pulls other ferromagnetic material like iron, cobalt, nickel.

In ferromagnetic material, magnetic domains are present in the atoms bond to form the material. When magnetic field is absent these domains are randomly placed. For unmagnetized pieces of iron these domains are randomly placed. When south pole magnet is placed closer to iron pieces, the domains shift towards the pole, so that their north pole is directed towards south pole of the magnet. Similarly when north pole of the magnet brought closer to the iron, the domains in iron rotated so that their south pole is directed towards north pole of the magnet.

Conclusion:

Poles of the magnet attract domains of the magnet towards it.