TO SHOW MAGNETIC REPULSION AND ATTRACTION.
Suspend two short pieces of iron wire, so that they will hang in contact in a vertical position. If the north pole of a magnet be now brought to a moderate distance between the wires, they will recede from each other.
The ends being made south poles by induction from the north pole, will repel each other, and so will the north poles. This separation of the wires will increase as the magnet approaches them, but there will be a particular distance at which the attractive force overcomes the repulsive force of the poles, and causes the wires to converge.