Two objects are near a bar magnet. One is about 1 cm away, while the other is 6 cm away. Compare and contrast the magnetic force that affects each object.
What do they want me to do?
I think you want to work on the inverse square law.
1/6^2 is the ratio
To answer this question, you need to compare and contrast the magnetic force affecting the objects located at different distances from the bar magnet. Let's break it down into steps:
1. Understand the concept: The magnetic force between a bar magnet and an object decreases as the distance between them increases. This relationship is governed by the inverse square law, which states that the force between two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
2. Calculate the distances: You are given that one object is 1 cm away from the bar magnet and the other is 6 cm away. These values represent the distances between the objects and the magnet.
3. Determine the ratio of the distances: Calculate the ratio of the distances by dividing the larger distance (6 cm) by the smaller distance (1 cm). In this case, the ratio is 6:1.
4. Square the ratio: Square the ratio obtained in step 3. The square of 6:1 is 36:1.
5. Compare and contrast the magnetic forces: Since the magnetic force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, the object that is 1 cm away will experience 36 times greater magnetic force than the object that is 6 cm away. In other words, the object 6 cm away will experience a much weaker magnetic force compared to the object 1 cm away from the bar magnet.
So, to summarize, the magnetic force on the object located 1 cm away from the bar magnet will be much stronger compared to the object located 6 cm away.