Question

It was observed that a pencil sharpener gets attracted by both the poles of a magnet although its body is made of plastic. Name a material that might have been used to make some part of it.

Answer 1

Hint:
The material which produces a magnetic field around it and is exerting a force of attraction on the magnetic field like iron, cobalt, nickel. These elements have magnetic properties. Like poles of two magnets repel each of the magnets and unlike poles of all magnets attracts between the two elements each other.

Complete step by step solution:
In the elements, Iron, nickel, cobalt are used to make some parts of the instruments like a blade, etc. Because it attracts the elements effectively. Artificial magnets are made in different shapes such as bar magnet, horseshoe magnet, and cylindrical magnet.
A magnet always has two poles. The materials which are attracted to a magnet are called magnetic properties. In the olden days, sailors were used to finding direction by suspending a piece of magnets because it has two poles if they attract it correctly. If not, the magnet will repel in the opposite direction. Similar poles of the magnet repel each other.
The blade of a pencil sharpener is made of iron. Here, Iron is a magnetic material that contains all the magnetic characteristics. Due to this, the pencil sharpener gets attracted to both of the poles of the magnet.

Note:
Iron is having magnetic properties because it will together attract each of the poles. It is attracted by the poles of the magnet. So, the elements of the sharpener will be made of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Especially, Iron is having more magnetic characteristics.