Brain Teasers
A Sack of Magnets
Situation
Situation puzzles (sometimes called lateral thinking puzzles) are ones where you need to ask lots of yes or no questions to figure out what happened in the situation. These are good puzzles for groups where one person knows the puzzle and answers the questions.Situation
A man buys some magnetic spheres from a shop, cheap. He takes them home in their
bag, and pours them onto a table. They all roll around a bit, before finally
resting here and there. The man immediately knows he has a faulty product, even
though he hasn't even tried using them yet. Do you know how?
bag, and pours them onto a table. They all roll around a bit, before finally
resting here and there. The man immediately knows he has a faulty product, even
though he hasn't even tried using them yet. Do you know how?
Hint
What would he expect magnets to do, anyway?Answer
When they left the bag, they rolled around on the table. If they weremagnetic, then they would not have been able to roll around so much
because they would have been stuck together!
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Comments
If you know anything about the properties of a magnet and what makes them unique, then you should know the answer. Almost too easy! Keep trying!
I know, I was overtired when I submitted this, and I know, it's horrible
Sent in more, better ones now
Sent in more, better ones now
I liked it!! It was easy and fun and sometimes thats what we (I) need!!! I think you did a great job! Keep up the good work!
Whee. I really liked this teaser. My friend had some of those magnet spheres once. They're fun to play with.
Noo! Someone is correcting THIS one, too! I ask you, correcty guy - is it science that air is invisible? Is it science that water is wet? Is it science that magnets are, oh, magnetic?!
This is not a cience one
A science one is one where you end up baffled by random trivia mixed in with concepts that are either so easy you think what in the world is this about, ro so complex you flee!
This is not a cience one
A science one is one where you end up baffled by random trivia mixed in with concepts that are either so easy you think what in the world is this about, ro so complex you flee!
STOP BEING SO DEFENSIVE, I LIKED IT, VERY EASY, BUT FUN
I DONT THINK THIS SHOULD BE IN SCIENCE EITHER, YOU LEARN THIS WHEN YOUR LIKE 4
I DONT THINK THIS SHOULD BE IN SCIENCE EITHER, YOU LEARN THIS WHEN YOUR LIKE 4
This might go in "Trick". People can easily forget a simple fact like this. The hint kind of gave it away.
That was a bit on the too easy side.
easy, but good, one
To whoever made this stupid riddle:
Magnets can also repel! Therefore, it is possible that the balls wouldn't connect if they had the same polarity.
Magnets can also repel! Therefore, it is possible that the balls wouldn't connect if they had the same polarity.
If they are magnets then they have to have a N and S pole. It would depend when they were tipped onto the table whether the like or unlike poles were juxtaposed. Some may or may not attract each other and some may or may not repel each other. Too random!
the table could of been magnetic
Since some people forget that this is NOT science, but situation, they get very technical and write commets that seem logical at first glance, but are really full of holes.
Cogmatic: Don't be rude. If you have constructive critiscm, that's one thing. Don't say it's bad if you don't have a suggestion for improvement. And say it without negative adjectives. FYI, there are only negative and positive polarities, so they would clump together. The only time none of them would clump is if they are all the SAME polarity. There wouldn't have been much rolling action.
Jimbo: If you have ever observed a magnet (and when I was little, I was fascinated by them), you will know that the non-attracted poles spin away from each other. They aren't actually *pushed* away from each other, they just spin in one spot. So the spheres land on the table, and then they will clump almost instantly because that is how magnets work. The only time a magnet won't stick to another is if you HOLD them in such a way as to prevent them from spinning, and thus prevent the opposite poles from finding each other.
So in this scenario, all the spheres would clump almost instantly, except for the few that fall too far away to be attracted to the group.
That being said, this was a great teaser!
Cogmatic: Don't be rude. If you have constructive critiscm, that's one thing. Don't say it's bad if you don't have a suggestion for improvement. And say it without negative adjectives. FYI, there are only negative and positive polarities, so they would clump together. The only time none of them would clump is if they are all the SAME polarity. There wouldn't have been much rolling action.
Jimbo: If you have ever observed a magnet (and when I was little, I was fascinated by them), you will know that the non-attracted poles spin away from each other. They aren't actually *pushed* away from each other, they just spin in one spot. So the spheres land on the table, and then they will clump almost instantly because that is how magnets work. The only time a magnet won't stick to another is if you HOLD them in such a way as to prevent them from spinning, and thus prevent the opposite poles from finding each other.
So in this scenario, all the spheres would clump almost instantly, except for the few that fall too far away to be attracted to the group.
That being said, this was a great teaser!
I agree with bookworm, and I would like to tell yerg that it is could have, not could of. No offense, but I'm 9 years old and I know that
Way too easy, but good teaser.
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