Which material is best for making a permanent magnet?

A.

Aluminum

B.

cobalt

C.

copper

D.

soft iron

E.

steel

Correct answer is E

Permanent magnets are made from "hard" ferromagnetic materials such as alnico and ferrite

Permanent magnets are made from special alloys (ferromagnetic materials) such as iron, nickel and cobalt, several alloys of rare-earth metals and minerals such as lodestone.

When a nonmagnetic piece of steel is applied to a magnet, the atoms within it rearrange themselves in a manner that creates a permanent magnet.