Stove works with only special pots?

I just moved into my apartment. In my kitchen, I have a stove with one burner. It has a white plastic-y cover on it, not like metal.

When I try to cook, I put the pan on the stove and turn it on. The ''On'' light turns on, but then it soon turns off and it does not heat up.

However, I have one pan that works when I use it on the stove. I am curious to whether this stove is special and only works with certain kinds of pots/pans made out of a special material?

This is a brand new stove and I've tried it many times, it ONLY works with only 1 of the pans that I have.

Or am I just crazy?

Does it look anything like any of those?
http://www.tepco-switch.com/ih/product/ih-to-j.html

If so, it could be induction heater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_cooker

If that's the case, pots with flat bottom, made of iron, steel, stainless steel etc. (anything that a magnet would stick onto) can be used. Alumimum, heat-resistant glass, or ceramic pots and those with rounded bottom do not seem to be suitable.
http://www.tepco-switch.com/ih/product/pan-j.html

I find the Wikipedia article on induction cooking wrong on many points. Obviously the writers aren't cooks! Induction hobs started to become popular in the mid-1990s in Europe and have been sold in huge numbers since (a 4 burners cost Euros 700-1000 including taxes). As for not cooking solid food!! come on! this is not true at all! Even professional chefs in Europe use them--I have seen inductions hobs used on TV cooking shows. My European relatives are crazy about them. They use cast iron pans and other pans.Some people put a small steel plate under a glass pot to use it.

Thank you for the responses! This answers my question,

I think I will bring a magnet to Ikea and test out the pots and pans :P