Which metals are commonly attracted to magnets?

The correct choice identifies nickel, iron, and cobalt as metals that are commonly attracted to magnets due to their ferromagnetic properties. These three metals have unpaired electrons in their d-orbitals that align with magnetic fields, allowing them to be magnetized. This alignment can create a strong attraction to a magnet, making these metals particularly useful in various applications, such as in electric motors, hard drives, and other electromagnetic devices.

In contrast, the other choices consist of elements that do not exhibit magnetic properties. Copper, silver, and gold, while they are conductive and possess valuable electrical and aesthetic uses, are not ferromagnetic and thus are not attracted to magnets. The elements nitrogen, argon, and neon are gases and are not metals at all, so they cannot be attracted by magnets. Lastly, aluminum, platinum, and carbon also lack ferromagnetic properties and primarily show weak interactions with magnetic fields.