Question

What do you end up with if you cut a magnet in half?
(A) One north-pole and one south pole
(B) Two unmagnetised pieces
(C) Two piece each with a north pole and a south pole
(D) Two north-pole pieces

Answer 1

Hint
Here we have to apply the concept of the bar magnet that the North Pole and South Pole always come in pairs. Magnetic atoms are all bonded together to form a bar magnet.

Complete step by step answer
Let us see what a bar magnet is:
The bar magnet is a rectangular fragment of an object consisting of iron, steel or some other ferromagnetic alloy that has permanent magnetic properties.
The key role of a bar magnet is to pick up small metal objects, such as metal shavings or nails and screws, as magnetic stirring rods in laboratory applications and as magnets in refrigerators. The most famous use of the bar magnet is the needle used in compasses.
The bar magnets got a North Pole and a South Pole at two sides. And if we split a bar magnet from the centre, each of them will always have a North Pole and a South Pole, no matter how many bits you crack in.
The reason is that a magnet acts as a bunch of small magnets, or magnetic domains which are packed together. Each of them reinforces the magnetic fields of the others. Both of them have a small North Pole and South Pole. So, if we cut one magnet in two, the freshly cut sides will become the new Northern or Southern Poles of the smaller pieces.
Hence, option (C) is correct.

Note
We cannot separate the North Pole and South Pole of a bar magnet. The broken pieces will only result in forming more bar magnets.