If a bar of copper is brought near a magnet, what will happen to the copper bar? A. made into an induced magnet. B. unaffected by the magnet. C. attracted by the magnet. D. repelled by the magnet.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: B. Unaffected by the magnet.
When a bar of copper is brought near a magnet, it will not be attracted to or repelled by the magnet in any significant way. This is because copper is a non-magnetic material. In other words, copper does not possess the magnetic properties required to interact directly with a magnet in the way that ferromagnetic materials like iron, nickel, or cobalt do.
Copper is classified as a diamagnetic material. Diamagnetic materials are those that are slightly repelled by both poles of a magnet, but the effect is extremely weak and often unnoticeable without sensitive instruments. These materials do not have unpaired electrons that can align in response to a magnetic field, which is a key requirement for strong magnetic interaction.
Importantly, copper cannot be made into an induced magnet either, as it does not retain any magnetic alignment even temporarily. It cannot become magnetic because it lacks the internal structure needed to align magnetic domains like ferromagnetic materials do.
However, if the copper bar is moved quickly in or near a magnetic field, electromagnetic induction can occur. This means electric currents, called eddy currents, can be generated inside the copper. These currents can then interact with the magnetic field and produce a weak opposing magnetic field, which can result in temporary repulsion or drag force—but only when there is motion involved. In the scenario described in the question, no motion is mentioned, so induction effects do not apply.
Therefore, when a stationary copper bar is brought near a magnet, the correct observation is that it is unaffected in any noticeable way.
