As I work through trying to understand magnetism, I kind of get confused by the two things. Let me see if I understand this right:
A magnetic field magnetizes an object. For example, a piece of iron when placed inside a magnetic field begins to attract other pieces of iron.
A magnetic force exists between magnetized objects, like a compass needle and the north pole.
Magnetic fields can't move things on their own, right? Magnetized objects push and pull off of each other, but all the magnetic field does is decide what state of magnetism an object will experience? A single piece of metal, placed in a magnetic field, would not begin moving until another object enters the area for it to act on/be acted on?