Is an Apple Magnetic: Magnetic Response of Everyday Materials Supporting Views About the Nature of Science

Magnetism and its various applications are essential for our daily life and for many technological developments. The term magnetism is almost always used as a synonym for ferromagnetism. However, the magnetic properties of the elements of the periodic table indicate that the vast majority of elements are not ferromagnetic, but rather, diamagnetic or paramagnetic. Typically, only ferromagnetism is discussed in classrooms, which can create a distorted picture. This article supplies the further development of an experiment demonstrating the dia- and paramagnetic properties with an electronic balance and a neodymium magnet. It focuses on an investigation of ordinary materials that occur in pupils’ everyday environment. The experiment is applicable both for a quantitative measurement of the magnetic (volume) susceptibility χ_V and can serve as a phenomenological approach to dia- and paramagnetism. Moreover, it encourages a discussion about typical beliefs regarding the nature of science, comparing the behavior of common objects in weak and in strong magnetic fields.