Principles of Magnetism is one of 9 topics in the Grade 10 Electrical Technology CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. What is the key difference between natural magnetism and electromagnetism?
Electromagnetism is produced by electric current flowing through a conductor and disappears when current stops; natural magnetism occurs without any current
Natural magnetism requires electric current to exist, while electromagnetism does not
Natural magnetism and electromagnetism are simply two different names for the identical phenomenon
Electromagnetism only exists in materials like iron, cobalt and nickel, never in any conductor
Answer: Electromagnetism is produced by electric current flowing through a conductor and disappears when current stops; natural magnetism occurs without any current — Electromagnetism is magnetism produced as a result of electric current flowing through a conductor, existing only while current flows, unlike natural magnetism (such as a permanent bar magnet), which occurs without any need for current.
Easy
2. What happens when two north magnetic poles are brought close together?
They repel each other
They attract each other
They have no effect on each other whatsoever
They instantly cancel out each other's magnetism permanently
Answer: They repel each other — Like poles repel each other: a north pole pushes away another north pole, while unlike poles (north and south) attract.
Medium
3. Name the simple material sprinkled around a permanent magnet to make its magnetic field lines visible.
Answer: iron filings — Iron filings sprinkled around a permanent magnet align themselves along the magnet's actual magnetic field lines, making the normally invisible field pattern directly visible.
