A bar magnet is sealed inside a horizontal, non-magnetic tube. End X is on the left and end Y is on the right. The poles are not labelled.
A plotting compass and a small iron test piece are placed in turn at four positions. The force on the iron test piece is measured at each position.
| Position | Location | Direction the north-seeking end of the compass points | Force on iron test piece |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1.0 cm to the left of X | right | 0.80 N |
| Q | 4.0 cm to the left of X | not recorded | 0.14 N |
| R | 1.0 cm to the right of Y | right | 0.78 N |
| S | 1.0 cm above the midpoint of the long side | not recorded | 0.36 N |
State which end of the magnet is the north pole and which end is the south pole. Explain your answer using the compass readings.
Use the force measurements to describe how the strength of the magnetic field varies around the magnet. Give the direction in which the north-seeking end of the compass would point at S. Explain your answer.
80 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 7.1 Permanent and induced magnetism, magnetic forces and fields, covering 7.1.1 Poles of a magnet and 7.1.2 Magnetic fields. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.