What are the two poles of a magnet?

The two poles of a magnet are indeed referred to as North and South. This terminology comes from how a magnet interacts with the Earth's magnetic field, which has a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole. When a magnet is suspended freely, it aligns itself with the Earth's magnetic field, indicating that one pole points towards the Earth's magnetic south (the geographic north) while the other points towards the Earth's magnetic north (the geographic south).

The concept of North and South poles is fundamental to understanding magnetism, as it not only defines how magnets interact with each other—like poles repel and unlike poles attract—but it also forms the basis for magnetic navigation and various applications in technology.

The other options don't accurately describe the poles of a magnet: East and West refer to cardinal directions, positive and negative generally relate to electrical charges, and main and minor do not have a recognized connection to magnetic polarity. Thus, North and South effectively encapsulate the unique characteristics of magnetic poles.