Question

Describe an experiment to illustrate that like poles repel while the, unlike poles, attract.

Answer 1

1. Take two bar magnets A and B. Suspend one magnet A with a silk thread from support so that it is free to swing. The magnet will come to rest in the north-south direction. The north pole of the magnet is in the north direction and the south pole of the magnet is in the south direction.
2. Now holding the other magnet B in your hand, bring its north pole near the north pole of the suspended magnet A (such that the two magnets do not touch each other) as shown in the figure. You will observe that the suspended magnet A moves away from the magnet B. This shows that the like poles repel each other.

Now bring the south pole of the magnet B near the north pole of the suspended magnet A as shown in the figure, without touching it. You will observe that the magnet A moves towards the magnet B. This shows that the unlike poles attract each other.