Magnetic Poles: Why Opposites Attract and Likes Repel

Every magnet has two poles: a north pole and a south pole.
Magnetic poles always come in pairs—you can’t isolate just one.
Like poles (north–north or south–south) push each other away.
Opposite poles (north–south) pull strongly toward each other.
This attraction and repulsion happen because of magnetic field interactions.
The closer the poles are, the stronger the force between them.
Cutting a magnet in half doesn’t separate the poles—each piece forms new north and south poles.
Earth itself acts like a giant bar magnet, with magnetic poles near its geographic poles.
Magnetic pole behavior guides compass needles to point north.
From fridge magnets to electric motors, pole interactions drive countless everyday tools.