Magnetism and Attraction: Investigating the Properties of Magnets

[logix24]

Homework Statement

a) You have two electrically neutral metal cylinders that exert strong attractive forces on each other. You have no other metal objects. Can you determine if both of the cylinders are magnets, or if one is a magnet and the other just a piece of iron? If so, how? If not, why not?

b) Can you think of any kind of object that is repelled by both ends of a bar magnet? If so, what? If not, what prevents this from happening?

Homework Equations

Magnet Orientation: Magnetic North Poles attract Magnetic South Poles, and vice versa

The Attempt at a Solution

a) I would assume that that since the question states that both cylinders are exerting strong attractive forces on each other, then they both are probably magnets, rather than one of them being just a magnetic material...

b) I would guess there's not such object because every magnet has a north pole and south pole, and therefore an object will attract one of these ends, even if that object is a monopole.

Do these answers sound correct? Thx;

 

[Shooting Star]

The Attempt at a Solution

a) I would assume that that since the question states that both cylinders are exerting strong attractive forces on each other, then they both are probably magnets, rather than one of them being just a magnetic material...

b) I would guess there's not such object because every magnet has a north pole and south pole, and therefore an object will attract one of these ends, even if that object is a monopole.

a) Strong is a subjective concept, and absolutely throws no light whatever on the problem at hand.

b) You are going in the right direction! Just gather your thoughts and write exactly how you would utilise this property of a magnet having poles to find out which is which. (There are no monopoles, of course.)

 

[mikelepore]

Asking oneself these various combinations will help:

Can you make a magnet attract a magnet?
Can you make a magnet repel a magnet?
Can you make a magnet attract a piece of iron?
Can you make a magnet repel a piece of iron?