Sheer Magnetism

What fun we had today...investigating magnetism and being able to feel the attraction and repulsion of the poles!!

...and what a lot we learned too!

Did you know that there was a place called Magnesia which gives its name to our modern day magnets! Back in the time of the ancient Greeks, ships used to ply the waters around Magnesia and as they approached the island, they would break up and sink. Many sailors believed the place to be haunted! What really was happening, was that the rocks around Magnesia were made of Lodestone and when the ships approached, the metal attracted the nails from the hulls and the ships fell apart!

There is also a legend about a shepherd called magnet who walked the hills of Magnesia and the nails in his sandals came out as well as the iron tip on his crook!!! He stakes his claim to fame in naming our present day wonder!!!

We also learned that magnets mutate if you cut them in half and become mini and mini'er individual magnets but all said and done we had the most exciting interaction making them dance their way across the desks and challenging each other to magnet races!!!

Who says science isn't fun!!!

Happy Blipping Everyone!

(This really is a study in hands! Alberts' no less!!)