Which statement describes a characteristic of ferrous metals?

• A. They are attracted to magnets
• B. They float in water
• C. They are always non-magnetic
• D. They are non-conductive

Answer: (A)

Ferrous metals contain iron and typically respond to magnetic fields. The property being tested is magnetism, since magnets will attract ferrous metals because iron has magnetic domains that align with the external field. This makes the statement about being attracted to magnets the best description of a characteristic of ferrous metals. The other options don’t fit: ferrous metals don’t generally float in water, they are not always non-magnetic (many are magnetic), and they are conductive (not non-conductive).