Physics · Lesson Worlds
Magnets: interactive science lab
Change the gap or the strength and prove that magnetic pull grows fast as the magnets close in.
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What will you learn?
Magnetic force is stronger when magnets are closer and when they are stronger. Distance is the steep knob.
How does the lab work?
Observe the simulation, make a prediction, change a variable, run the experiment, and explain the result. Finish with a challenge that tests your understanding.
You can change: Distance, Strength. Compare what happens and connect the result to the scientific explanation.
Try a comparison in Magnets
Start with the lab’s initial settings. Choose one control below, predict the result, and change that control while keeping the others fixed. Record the setting and what you observe before making a second change.
- Distance: the lab starts at 3 cm; its available range is 1–8 cm.
- Strength: the lab starts at 2; its available range is 1–4.
For a named starting condition, try Far, Room, Close. A preset can change several settings: check the controls before treating two presets as a one-variable comparison.
Questions to discuss during the activity
- Watch what happens. They pull without touching. Watch the magnets tug.
- Name the cause. A magnetic field is strongest nearby. Halve the distance and the pull jumps. Strength also matters, but distance is the steep knob. Closer means a much stronger pull.
- Change something. Close the gap and the tug should jump. Change distance, then release.
- Guess before you run. If we close the gap to 1.2 cm, the pull will… Guess what will happen, then run to check.
After your comparison, explain how the observations connect to this idea: Magnetic force is stronger when magnets are closer and when they are stronger. Distance is the steep knob. Name one condition you held fixed and one feature of the real world this model simplifies. A completed run is a starting point for discussion, rather than proof of mastery.
Who is it for?
Curious learners exploring physics. A parent or teacher can help younger learners read the instructions and discuss the results. Choose by topic and prior knowledge rather than a fixed grade level.
Is this lab free?
Yes. This interactive lab is free without signing in or a paid membership.
No app download is needed; interactive play requires JavaScript and a modern browser.
Use this activity with a learner
Families and educators · choose by prior knowledge
Learning goal: Magnetic force is stronger when magnets are closer and when they are stronger. Distance is the steep knob.
Before you begin: Read the controls for Distance, Strength. Make one prediction before changing a setting.
Check understanding: Ask for one observation, the evidence that supports it, and a question to investigate next.
A simulation simplifies the real world. Explain which conditions stayed fixed; a successful run alone does not demonstrate mastery.
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