How can magnets repel paperclips?

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This discussion centers on the phenomenon of magnets repelling paperclips due to the orientation of the paperclips' magnetic poles. When a magnet is introduced, paperclips that are already slightly magnetized can exhibit varying behaviors based on their magnetic pole alignment. Some paperclips are attracted to the magnet, while others are repelled, indicating a complex interaction influenced by the magnetic properties of the paperclips themselves.

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jetwaterluffy
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I was messing about with a magnet (again), and got a safety-pin which has paperclips attached to it and hung them over the magnet. Most of the paperclips went straight down to the magnet, but some of them wanted to go directly perpendicular, and there seems to be a force pulling them to either one or the other, and away from the intermediate states. Why?
 
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Depends on the paperclips magnetic pole orientation. its likely they were already slightly magnetized, and some of them in different directions of the others
 

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