[meteorite-list] A question about magnetism

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:55:40 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C8698E5892_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi Dave and List,

> I gave a show and tell presentation to about twenty home schooled
> students on meteorites, and my collection. The genius in the
> group, after taunting me with biblical and geologic time
> unconformities, finally asks me a relevent question.....
> Does the magnet stick to the meteorite, or does the meteorite
> stick to the magnet? This came from a ten year old, and I
> could not answer him.

> Any help?

Tell the kid to try picking up a nail (or paper clip, or whatever)
with the meteorite -- that should answer his real question.

It reminds me of a cute story from my honeymoon to Turkey in
September last year. I took a Saharan hand sample along with
us, cut in half and polished to show the metal on the interior,
and I also brought a powerful magnet. Since I don't speak
Turkish, it wasn't easy asking locals (particularly away from
the big cities) if they knew of anyone who had found rocks
that "look like this". No one seemed to know of any, but
they were fascinated by the meteorite and how the magnet
was attracted to it. Almost without fail, they would try
touching the meteorite to something else metallic to see if
it would stick. ;-)

--Rob
Received on Fri 04 Jan 2002 06:18:28 PM PST