PSLE Science Forces and Magnets Keywords
Part 2 of 3 of the PSLE Science OEQ Guide: saying the science accurately, topic by topic, and why the everyday phrase gets it wrong.
Magnets split apart two ideas that are easy to treat as one. What a magnet does to a thing is one idea. What the thing is made of is another.
Being pulled by a magnet is not the same as being a magnet. And a magnet does not pull every metal. Those two ideas do most of the work in this topic.
1. "sticks to the magnet" → "is attracted to the magnet"
The paperclip is attracted to the magnet.
"Sticks" makes magnetism sound like glue. Glue only works on contact. Magnetism is a force instead. It pulls the paperclip towards the magnet. That pull works across a gap. Think "sticks", and you wouldn't expect the paperclip to move before it touches. It does move.
2. "is a magnet" → "is a magnetic material"
The paperclip is a magnetic material because it's attracted to the fridge door.
Being pulled by a magnet is one thing. Being a magnet is another. A magnet has its own magnetic field. So it can pull or push other magnets.
A paperclip is made of a magnetic material, which is iron. A magnet pulls it. But the paperclip cannot pull or push another magnet on its own. So keep "is attracted by a magnet" and "is a magnet" as two separate ideas.
3. "all metals are magnetic" → "only some metals, like iron, nickel and cobalt, are magnetic"
Only some metals are attracted to magnets. Iron, nickel and cobalt are. So is steel, because steel contains iron.
Copper, aluminium and gold are all metals. But a magnet does not pull them. Only some metals are magnetic materials. So being a metal does not make a thing magnetic.
4. "heavier" → "has greater mass"
The steel ball has greater mass than the plastic ball.
"Heavier" works in everyday talk. In a Science answer, "has greater mass" is clearer. Mass and weight are not the same thing. Mass tells us how much matter an object holds. That is what we compare here. For the full story, see mass vs weight.
5. "has to touch it to pick it up" → "can attract it without touching it"
The magnet can attract the paperclip without touching it at all.
Magnetism is a non-contact force. It works across a gap. It even works through some materials. Put a sheet of paper between the magnet and the paperclip. The pull still gets through. Friction is different, because there the two surfaces must touch.
The swaps
| # | Say this | Why it earns the mark |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is attracted to the magnet | Magnetism is a force acting at a distance |
| 2 | Is a magnetic material | Names the material a magnet can attract |
| 3 | Only some metals are magnetic | Iron, nickel and cobalt are the magnetic metals |
| 4 | Has greater mass | Names the amount of matter in the object |
| 5 | Can attract without touching | Magnetism is a non-contact force |
This isn't about approved wording. Get the idea underneath right, and you can say it in your own words. The mark will follow.
If you want to try this on real questions, MCQ.SG marks open-ended questions point by point and gives feedback on every answer.
For more tips on improving your answers—from avoiding common mistakes to using precise science language—explore the complete PSLE Science OEQ Guide.