Which of the following materials is MAGNETIC (attracted to a magnet)?
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Practise IGCSE 0625 questions in the style of recent Extended past papers, organised by syllabus subtopic. Each set comes with an examiner-style mark scheme and a downloadable worksheet.
Everything students ask about Cambridge IGCSE 0625 Simple phenomena of magnetism Topical Past Papers.
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These Simple phenomena of magnetism Topical Past Paper Questions are written in the style of recent Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 Extended papers and grouped by the Electricity and magnetism (P4.1) section of the 2025–2027 syllabus. Use them to revise the exact skills examiners test in this part of the course.
Each question is graded Easy → Medium → Hard, plus an A★ Challenge for top-grade preparation. Tap a question to mark your own answer, then unlock the examiner-style mark scheme with model solutions and examiner tips. A printable Topical Past Papers worksheet is included so you can practise offline.
Distinguish magnetic from non-magnetic materials. Describe induced magnetism and the magnetic field around a bar magnet using field lines. Compare permanent magnets, temporary magnets and soft/hard magnetic materials.
Which of the following materials is MAGNETIC (attracted to a magnet)?
Outside a bar magnet, magnetic field lines are drawn pointing:
A pupil holds the North pole of a strong bar magnet close to (but not touching) an unmagnetised iron nail. The nail is then able to pick up a small steel paperclip.
Name the process by which the nail has become a magnet.
[1 mark]State which pole is induced on the END of the nail NEAREST the North pole of the bar magnet.
[1 mark]The ONLY reliable test for whether an object is itself a magnet (rather than just a piece of magnetic material) is:
A student has two cylindrical bars that look identical. Bar X is made of soft iron; bar Y is made of hardened steel. Both bars are stroked many times in the same direction with the same strong permanent magnet, then disconnected from it.
State, with a reason, which bar (X or Y) is now a stronger PERMANENT magnet.
[2 marks]State ONE practical use of soft iron and ONE practical use of steel that relies on this difference.
[1 mark]A flat sheet of paper is placed over a bar magnet lying on a table. Iron filings are sprinkled gently onto the paper and the paper is tapped.
Describe what is observed and what it reveals about the magnetic field.
[2 marks]Explain how a small plotting COMPASS could be used to find the DIRECTION of the field at a point on the paper.
[1 mark]Two identical bar magnets are placed end-to-end on a smooth table with their N poles facing each other and a small gap between them.
State and explain what is observed when the magnets are released.
[2 marks]Describe how the SHAPE of the magnetic field between the two N poles differs from the field between an N and an S pole brought close together.
[2 marks]A magnet is brought close to one end of a thin steel bar resting on a table. The far end of the bar attracts a small iron nail. The magnet is then removed and immediately the bar is rolled away. Which of the following best describes the bar a few minutes later?