Give reasons for the following statements.

(a) Wood cannot be magnetised.

(b) Magnetite was later on called leading stone.

(c) Magnetic compass is based on one of magnet's properties.

(d) Magnetic induction is temporary.

(e) Magnets should be stored properly.

(a) Wood is a non-magnetic material i.e., it does not contain magnetic molecules that can align to produce magnetism so only materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt can be magnetised but wood cannot be magnetised

(b) Magnetite always points in the north–south direction when freely suspended. Since it "leads" the way (like a guide), it was called leading stone, which later became lodestone.

(c) A freely suspended magnet always aligns itself in the north–south direction due to Earth’s magnetic field and this property of a magnet is known as the directive property of magnets which is used in a magnetic compass for navigation.

(d) In magnetic induction, a magnetic material like soft iron becomes a magnet when placed near a strong magnet. Once the external magnet is removed, the induced magnetism disappears quickly, hence it is temporary.

(e) If magnets are not stored properly, they may lose their magnetism due to self-demagnetisation so storing them with magnetic keepers (soft iron strips) and in pairs with unlike poles facing each other helps preserve their strength.