If a bar magnet is cut in half, what do the two resulting pieces have?
AOne half has two north poles, the other two south poles
BBoth halves lose their magnetism entirely
CEach half has both a north pole and a south pole
DOnly one half retains any magnetism
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Each half has both a north pole and a south pole
1. Magnetic poles cannot be isolated -- every piece of a magnet, no matter how small, is itself a complete dipole.
2. The text is explicit: "Each half of the bar magnet has a north pole and a south pole."
3. This rules out getting an isolated all-north or all-south piece, and it also rules out either half losing its magnetism.
4. So cutting a bar magnet in half simply produces two smaller magnets, each still having its own north and south pole.
_Source: OpenStax Physics Ch 20 "Magnetism", p.670 §20.1 Magnetic Fields, Field Lines, and Force_
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