Final answer:
The students conducted an experiment to test if the force of magnetism between two magnets follows the inverse square law with distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the experiment conducted by the students, they used spacers between two magnets to increase the distance between them. They used washers as units to measure the force required to pull the magnets apart. The objective of their experiment was to determine if the force of magnetism between the two magnets is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
The concept of inverse square law relates to forces acting at a distance and states that the force (F) between two objects is equal to a constant (C) divided by the distance (d) between the objects squared (F = C/d²). The students' experiment aims to test whether the magnetic force follows this inverse square relationship with distance.