Magnets?

[Tstair_11]

Just earlier I was playing with a sewing needle and heating it up in the flames of a candle. When I set it down on the glass lid of the jar, it spun around quickly in the opposite direction. I noticed the point of the needle was facing north. Can anyone explain how this works?

[Endy0816]

Heating and possibly static electricity.

 

If it works as a compass though, you definitely managed to magnetize it.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoremanent_magnetization

Edited August 24, 2016 by Endy0816