1. Magnets can attract iron, but not gold, silver and copper. Iron can be attracted because magnets can rearrange the electrons in iron to form a principle similar to electromagnets, so they can attract each other. There is a magnetic field around the magnets. In a magnetic field, some substances that are not magnetic will become magnetic, which is called magnetization. For example, iron can be magnetized into a "new magnet" in a magnetic field. Magnets are polar, like charges repel and opposite charges attract. When iron is magnetized, the N pole of the "new magnet" is opposite to the S pole of the original magnet, so the magnet can attract iron. In fact, magnets don't just attract iron. Anything that can be magnetized, such as iron, nickel, cobalt and their alloys, can be attracted by magnets. However, some substances, such as copper, tin, aluminum and so on. Cannot be attracted by magnets unless they have the property of being magnetized.

2. Magnets do not attract nonmetals. Because there are no movable free electrons in nonmetals.