Bar magnet made from smaller opposing bar magnets

[mfade]

I was wondering if the strength of a bar magnet constructed from smaller magnets would increase if the smaller magnets were placed in an arrangement where the poles were opposing each other. I was able to jam 2 rare Earth magnets together with opposing poles and measured a higher magnetic flux density with a gaussmeter. My fingers are still in-tact after this ordeal :)

Would there be a higher magnetic flux density from sticking magnets together with opposing polarity than sticking magnets together with non opposing polarity?

I am not a physics expert but was curious about this observation

 

[mitochan]

If magnets gather in a place with same NS direction, their magnetic flux enhances to produce larger magnet.
If magnets gather in a place with random NS direction, their magnetic flux kill each other to show zero magnetic field in total.

 

[KDPhysics]

Actually fridge magnets are made like this. Here's a fun experiement to do. Take two fridge magnets and try to slide one on top of the other. In one direction the movement will be smooth, in the other it will be quite "zig-zaggy" if that makes sense.

This is because fridge magnets are stacks of magnets with alternating poles:

If you arrange the two magnets so that the red and white stripes are aligned, then you will feel the zig zag motion. This is because in one part of the movement the north poles of one magnet will be aligned with the north poles of the other magnet causing a repulsion. As you start to move they will misalign, and the north pole will be closer to the south pole, thus you will feel an attraction.

If you arrange the magnets so that in one the stripes are horizontal, in the other they are vertical then you will not get this effect as there won't be an alignment of poles.