Get information about rotating magnetic fields and how electric machines use them for their operation. Discusses synchronous speed and number of poles on an electrical machine. The accompanying article discusses the topics found in the...

Explains magnetic fields, how they differ from electric fields, and attraction and repulsion.

A module that uses pictures, videos, reading passages, and review question to go over what a magnet and magnetic pole are, and how magnetic force is related to magnetic field. This site may require free registration to access all...

This site is a description of the earth's magnetic field, including a section on the "Dynamo effect," a proposed explanation for the origin of the earth's magnetic field.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Looks at magnetic materials and the structure and breadth of a magnetic field. The concept of magnetic domains is explained, and how they behave in a magnetic field....

This is a hands-on, inquiry-based lesson that includes three magnetic stations in which students or small groups rotate in order to test and discover different magnetic properties and then use their knowledge to build a Maglev Train...

In this magnetism activity, students investigate why magnets attract certain objects and how the magnets can attract or repel each other by participating in a classroom activity. Students will observe, question, and investigate how the...

Explore the magnetic fields around different shapes of magnets.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Explains how Earth is a magnet, its geographic and magnetic poles, and its magnetic field.

[Free Registration/Login Required] A site containing an animation of a compass and a short quiz over the topic.

A slideshow and a short multiple-choice quiz on the basic concepts and vocabulary of magnetism.

A good explanation of what the property of magnetism is and how it occurs naturally in lodestone and can be generated in metals such as steel. It describes how a ferromagnetic material such as iron becomes magnetized when near a...

Here is a lengthy listing of activities and resources pertaining to magnets and magnetism. Experiments which can be performed with many different types of magnets are described; detailed directions and photos are provided.

Students complete a series of six short investigations involving magnets to learn more about their properties. Students also discuss engineering uses for magnets and brainstorm examples of magnets in use in their everyday lives.

This fact sheet from Suzy's World and Suzy Cato explores how magnetism works, including "why a compass points north." Content includes fun facts, an experiment, and the ability to make your own compass.

Wikipedia.com provides an excellent introductory site on magnets. Including basic information describing different types of magnets and their characteristics.

Earth's magnetic poles have reversed themselves throughout its long history. Find out what scientists know about these reversals. A geologic time line shows when the reversals occurred.

The earth's magnetic poles have reversed themselves throughout the earth's history. Find out how scientists know that this happened.

William Gilbert was an English physician and natural philosopher who wrote a six-volume treatise that compiled all of the information regarding magnetism and electricity known at the time. The work included descriptions of many of...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Looks at the Earth as a magnet and how Earth's magnetism benefits living things.

Learn how to make a simple compass right at home. [1 min, 21 secs]

This lesson will introduce what a magnet is and how magnets work.

Discusses some history of magnets, the science of magnetism, and interesting facts about them.

Site from NASA contains a collection of 91 questions pertaining to the Earth's atmosphere, magnetic field, ionosphere, rotation and origin of life.