Which of the following best captures the concept of magnetism?

The concept of magnetism is primarily associated with the forces that magnets exert on each other, including attraction and repulsion. This description encompasses both the way magnets can pull towards each other and how they can push away from each other based on their polarities. It is through these interactions that one can observe the effects of magnetism in everyday life, such as magnets sticking to a refrigerator or repelling each other when similar poles are brought close.

While the interaction of electric charges is closely related to magnetism, as described by electromagnetism, it does not fully represent magnetism on its own. Magnetism specifically pertains to the forces acting on magnetic materials and the magnetic field they create. The attraction between two metals, although it can sometimes involve magnetic properties, does not capture the full scope of magnetism because not all metals are magnetic. The repulsion of light from surfaces is unrelated to magnetism and pertains more to optics and surface properties.

Thus, focusing on the direct interactions between magnets themselves, option C captures the true essence of magnetism effectively.