Exploratour - The Magnetosphere of Mars
The Force of Magnetism and Magnetic Fields
The force of magnetism causes material to point along the direction the magnetic force points. This property implies that the force of magnetism has a direction. As shown in the diagram, if one side of the magnet is called the positive side, and the other side called the negative side, the force of magnetism flows from the positive side or pole, to the negative pole.
The lines shown in the diagram, which represent the force emanating from the magnet, illustrate what is called the magnetic field of the magnet, that is, the force of magnetism coming from the magnet is called the "magnetic field". The magnetic field is strongest where the lines of force come together, and is weakest when the lines of force are far apart. The force of magnetism can exhibit the behavior of more than two poles, but it never exhibits one pole (a mono-pole).