How Does Temporary and permanent magnets Work?

A magnet is something that can pull certain metals toward it, like how your fridge door sticks to the fridge.

Temporary magnets are like a toy that only works when you're playing with it. If you take a piece of iron and rub it with a strong magnet, it becomes a magnet too, but just for a little while. It's like when you shake up a soda, it fizzes for a bit, then stops. These magnets lose their power once they’re no longer near the strong magnet.

Permanent magnets are like your favorite stuffed animal, they always stay with you. They don’t need to be near another magnet to keep being magnets. A fridge magnet is a good example of this kind of magnet because it sticks all day long, even when it’s not touching the fridge.

So whether a magnet is temporary or permanent depends on how strongly and for how long it stays magnetic, just like your toy or your stuffed animal! A magnet is something that can pull certain metals toward it, like how your fridge door sticks to the fridge.