Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): When a bar magnet is cut into two pieces along its length, each piece has both a north pole and a south pole.
Reason (R): Each of the two pieces is a magnet as strong as the original magnet.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A) is correct but (R) is not correct.
Assertion (A) When a bar magnet is cut into two pieces along its length, each piece has both a north pole and a south pole. — True. A cut along the length gives two thinner magnets. Each piece still has its own north pole and south pole.
Reason (R) Each of the two pieces is a magnet as strong as the original magnet. — False. Cutting a bar magnet is like cutting a solenoid into two smaller solenoids. Each piece is a complete magnet, but its magnetic properties are weaker than those of the original magnet.
NCERT (2026-27):
Example 5.1 – “(a) What happens if a bar magnet is cut into two pieces: (i) transverse to its length, (ii) along its length? … (a) In either case, one gets two magnets, each with a north and south pole.”
Introduction – “(iv) … If a bar magnet is broken into two halves, we get two similar bar magnets with somewhat weaker properties. …”