# A steel paper clip is brought close to one end of a bar magnet and becomes attracted to it. When the paper clip is removed from near the magnet, it is found to weakly attract small iron filings for a short time, but this effect soon disappears. Explain these observations.

> Eduqas GCSE Physics — 2.5 Magnetism and electromagnetism · Explain · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. The bar magnet causes the magnetic domains in the steel paper clip to align (in the same direction) / the paper clip is magnetised by induction
2. This alignment of domains means the paper clip itself acts as a magnet / has a magnetic field, so it attracts the bar magnet (and later the iron filings)
3. When the bar magnet is removed, the paper clip retains some domain alignment for a short time, so it can still weakly attract iron filings
4. Steel is a hard magnetic material so it retains magnetism longer than soft iron, but the domains eventually return to a random arrangement so the magnetism disappears

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