Brian made an electromagnet in his science class. He spread out several paper clips, all made of the same material and the same size, on a lab table. Holding his electromagnet in a fixed spot, he tried to attract as many paper clips as possible. He observed that there were two paper clips that were not attracted to his electromagnet.
What is the MOST LIKELY conclusion Brian can draw about his observation?
Responses
The two paper clips were not light enough to be pulled by the magnet.
The two paper clips were not light enough to be pulled by the magnet.
The two paper clips were outside the magnet's electromagnetic field.
The two paper clips were outside the magnet's electromagnetic field.
The two paper clips were repelled by the electromagnet and not picked up.
The two paper clips were repelled by the electromagnet and not picked up.
The two paper clips did not have magnetic properties like the others.
The two paper clips did not have magnetic properties like the others.
Well, Brian needs to realize that sometimes in life, there are just a couple of paper clips that don't fit in with the rest of the bunch. Maybe they were on strike, demanding better working conditions or higher wages. Or perhaps they were just rebels, determined to go against the magnetic forces of nature. Either way, the most likely conclusion is that those two paper clips simply didn't have magnetic properties like the others. They were the black sheep of the electromagnet party!
The two paper clips did not have magnetic properties like the others.
To determine the most likely conclusion, Brian can analyze his observation and consider the options provided.
Firstly, we can eliminate the option that suggests the paper clips were not light enough to be pulled by the magnet. This is because the size and material of the paper clips are mentioned to be the same, so the weight should not be a deciding factor here.
Next, we can consider the possibility that the two paper clips were outside the magnet's electromagnetic field. An electromagnet creates a magnetic field around itself, and objects need to be within this field to be attracted to the magnet. If the two paper clips were positioned outside the field, they would not be attracted. Therefore, this is a plausible conclusion.
The option suggesting that the two paper clips were repelled by the electromagnet and not picked up can also be considered. However, in this scenario, the paper clips would be pushed away from the magnet and not necessarily remain stationary on the table. Therefore, this conclusion is less likely.
Finally, we have the conclusion that the two paper clips did not have magnetic properties like the others. This conclusion assumes that the other paper clips possess magnetic properties, whereas the two in question do not. However, the prompt states that all the paper clips are made of the same material, making it unlikely that only two would lack magnetic properties while the others do not.
Based on this analysis, the most likely conclusion is that the two paper clips were outside the magnet's electromagnetic field.