This 4-minute video uses a variety of media to explain very clearly what a magnet is and how magnets get their properties. Veteran high school physics teacher James Lincoln explains the phenomena of magnetism through the lens of magnetic domains, with diagrams and video to show how domains become aligned into a North/South orientation. He then focuses on iron, cobalt, and nickel to explore why they are magnetic. His explanation of unpaired valence electrons and electron spin concepts are well-supported with visual aids and simple enough for beginners to understand.

This resource is part of a larger collection of videos by James Lincoln, many of which have been funded and supported by the AAPT.