Rachel was experimenting with magnets this afternoon—determining whether or not any given object was magnetic by placing one of her princess magnets on the item. This worked well enough in proving the door wasn't magnetic but the pole of the floor lamp was. Since those objects are vertical it was easy to see magnetic power at work—if the magnet stayed then the item was magnetic; if it fell then the item was not magnetic.
When she moved onto horizontal surfaces, however, things got a little more confusing.
"My bench is magnetic!" she declared.
"No, it's not," I told her.
"Yes, it is!" she insisted. "Watch this!"
She dropped her magnet onto the bench. The magnet appeared to stick to the bench; at least, it didn't fall off the bench...because the bench is a horizontal surface.
When she moved onto horizontal surfaces, however, things got a little more confusing.
"My bench is magnetic!" she declared.
"No, it's not," I told her.
"Yes, it is!" she insisted. "Watch this!"
She dropped her magnet onto the bench. The magnet appeared to stick to the bench; at least, it didn't fall off the bench...because the bench is a horizontal surface.
