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Science Projects > Physics & Engineering Projects > Electromagnetism Experiments  

Electromagnetism Experiments

Electric current flowing through a wire creates a magnetic field that attracts ferromagnetic objects, such as iron or steel. This is the principle behind electromagnets and magnetic levitation trains. It allows cranes to pick up whole cars in the junkyard and makes your doorbell ring. You can read about it here , and then watch it work when you do these experiments. (Adult supervision recommended.)

Electromagnetic Experiments

-Electromagnetic Suction -Electromagnet -Magnetic Propulsion

Experiment 1: Electromagnetic Suction

A single strand of wire produces only a very weak magnetic field, but a tight coil of wire (called a solenoid ) gives off a stronger field. In this experiment, you will use an electric current running through a solenoid to suck a needle into a straw!

What You Need:

  • drinking straw
  • 5 feet insulated copper wire
  • 6-volt battery

What You Do:

1. Make your solenoid. Take five feet of insulated copper wire and wrap it tightly around the straw. Your solenoid should be about 3 inches long, so you’ll have enough wire to wrap a couple of layers.

2. Trim the ends of the straw so they just stick out of the solenoid.

3. Hold the solenoid horizontally and put the end of the needle in the straw and let go. What happens?

4. Now strip an inch of insulation off each end of the wire and connect the ends to the 6-volt battery. Insert the needle part-way in the straw again and let go. This time what happens? (Don’t leave the wire hooked up to the battery for more than a few seconds at a time – it will get hot and drain the battery very quickly)

When you hooked your solenoid up to a battery, an electric current flowed through the coils of the wire, which created a magnetic field. This field attracted the needle just like a magnet and sucked it into the straw. Try some more experiments with your solenoid – will more coils make it suck the needle in faster? Will it still work with just a few coils? Make a prediction and then try it out!

Experiment 2: Electromagnet

As you saw in the last experiment, electric current flowing through a wire produces a magnetic field. This principle comes in very handy in the form of an electromagnet. An electromagnet is wire that is tightly wrapped around a ferromagnetic core. When the wire is connected to a battery, it produces a magnetic field that magnetizes the core. The magnetic fields of the core and the solenoid work together to make a very strong magnet. The best part about it is that the magnetic force stops when the electricity is turned off! Try it yourself with this experiment:

  • large iron nail

1. Tightly wrap the wire around the nail to make a solenoid with a ferromagnetic core. If you have enough wire, wrap more than one layer. (If your nail fits inside the straw from the last experiment, you can use that solenoid instead of rewrapping the wire.)

2. Try to pick up some paperclips with the wire-wrapped nail. Can you do it?

electromagnetic force simple experiment

3. Strip an inch of insulation off each end of the wire.

4. Hook up the wire to the battery and try again to pick up the paperclips with the nail. This time the electricity will create a magnetic field and the nail will attract paperclips! (Don’t leave the wire hooked up to the battery for more than a few seconds at a time – it will get hot and drain the battery very quickly.)

Experiment some more with your electromagnet. Count how many paperclips it can pick up. If you coil more wire around it will it pick up more paperclips? How many paperclips can you pick up if you only use half as much wire? What would happen if you used a smaller battery, like a D-size? Predict what you think will happen and then try it out!

Experiment 3: Magnetic Propulsion

A maglev (magnetically levitated) train doesn’t use a regular engine like a normal train. Instead, electromagnets in the track produce a magnetic force that pushes the train from behind and pulls it from the front. You can get an idea of how it works using some permanent magnets and a toy car.

  • 3 bar magnets

1. Tape a bar magnet to a small toy car with the north pole at the back of the car and the south pole at the front.

2. Put the car on a hard surface, like a linoleum floor or a table. Hold a bar magnet behind the car with the south pole facing the car. As you move it near the car, what happens? The south pole of your magnet repels the north pole of the magnet on the car, making the car move forward.

3. Have someone else hold another magnet in front of the car, with the north pole facing the car. Does the car move faster with one magnet ‘pushing’ from behind and the other magnet ‘pulling’ from ahead?

In our example, the permanent magnets have to move with the car to keep it going. In a maglev track, though, the electromagnets just change their poles by changing the direction of the electric current. They stay in the same spot, but their poles change as the train goes by so it will always be repelled from the electromagnets behind it and attracted by the electromagnets in front of it!

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FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

  • TeachEngineering
  • Creating an Electromagnet

Hands-on Activity Creating an Electromagnet

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $2.00

Group Size: 2

Activity Dependency: None

Associated Informal Learning Activity: Creating an Electromagnet!

Subject Areas: Physical Science, Physics

NGSS Performance Expectations:

NGSS Three Dimensional Triangle

Jump start your students on making sense of the phenomenon of electricity through the curricular resources featured here, by grade band!

Activities Associated with this Lesson Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

  • Get Your Motor Running
Lesson Activity

TE Newsletter

Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, pre-req knowledge, introduction/motivation, vocabulary/definitions, troubleshooting tips, activity extensions, activity scaling, user comments & tips.

Engineers help design and create healthier tomorrows

Engineers design electromagnets, which are a basic part of motors. Electromagnetic motors are a big part of everyday life, as well as industries and factories. We may not even realize that we interact with electromagnets on a daily basis as we use a wide variety of motors to make our lives easier. Common devices that use electromagnetic motors are: refrigerators, clothes dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, garbage disposals, doorbells, computers, computer printers, clocks, fans, car starters, windshield wiper motors, electric toothbrushes, electric razors, can openers, speakers, music or tape players, etc.

After this activity, students should be able to:

  • Relate that electric current creates a magnetic field.
  • Describe how an electromagnet is made.
  • Investigate ways to change the strength of an electromagnet.
  • List several items that engineers have designed using electromagnets.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

NGSS Performance Expectation

3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other. (Grade 3)

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

This activity focuses on the following aspects of NGSS:
Science & Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts
Ask questions that can be investigated based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

Electric, and magnetic forces between a pair of objects do not require that the objects be in contact. The sizes of the forces in each situation depend on the properties of the objects and their distances apart and, for forces between two magnets, on their orientation relative to each other.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

NGSS Performance Expectation

3-PS2-4. Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets. (Grade 3)

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

This activity focuses on the following aspects of NGSS:
Science & Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts
Define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

Electric, and magnetic forces between a pair of objects do not require that the objects be in contact. The sizes of the forces in each situation depend on the properties of the objects and their distances apart and, for forces between two magnets, on their orientation relative to each other.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

Scientific discoveries about the natural world can often lead to new and improved technologies, which are developed through the engineering design process.

Alignment agreement: Thanks for your feedback!

Common Core State Standards - Math

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State standards, colorado - math, colorado - science.

Each group needs:

  • nail, 3-inch (7.6 cm) or longer (made of zinc, iron or steel, but not aluminum)
  • 2 feet (.6 m) insulated copper wire (at least AWG 22 or higher)
  • D-cell battery
  • several metal paperclips, tacks or pins
  • wide rubber band
  • Building an Electromagnet Worksheet

For each electromagnetic field station:

  • cardboard toilet paper tube
  • insulated copper wire (at least AWG 22 or higher), several feet (1 m)
  • cardboard (~ 5 x 5 inches or 13 x 13 cm)
  • clothespins or clamps (optional)
  • masking tape
  • rubber band
  • 2-3 D-cell batteries
  • 9-V (volt) battery
  • several metal paperclips, tacks and/or pins
  • extra batteries, if available: 6-V, 12-V, lantern batteries
  • (optional) electrical tape
  • 2 small orienteering compasses

For the entire class to share:

  • wire cutters
  • wire strippers

Some knowledge of magnetic forces (poles, attraction forces). Refer to the Magnetism unit, Lesson 2: Two Sides of One Force , for this information on electromagnets.

Today, we are going to talk about electromagnets and create our own electromagnets! First, can anyone tell me what an electromagnet is? (Listen to student ideas.) Well, an electromagnet's name helps tell us what it is. (Write the word electromagnet on the classroom board for students to see.) Let's break it down. The first part of the word,  electro , sounds like electricity. The second part of the word, magnet , is what it sounds like—a magnet! So, an electromagnet is a magnet that is created by electricity.

The really important thing to remember today is that electricity can create a magnetic field. This may sound strange, because we're used to magnetic fields just coming from magnets, but it is really true! A wire that has electrical  current running through it creates a magnetic field. In fact, the simplest electromagnet is a single wire that is coiled up and has an electric current running through it. The magnetic field generated by the coil of wire is like a regular bar magnet. If we put an iron (or nickel, cobalt, etc.) rod (perhaps a nail) through the center of the coil (see Figure 1), the rod becomes the magnet, creating a magnetic field. Where do we find the electricity for an electromagnet? Well, we can get this electricity a few ways, such as from a battery or a wall outlet.

We can make this magnetic field stronger by increasing the amount of electric current going through the wire or we can increase the number of wire wraps in the coil of the electromagnet. What do you think happens if we do both of these things? That's right! Our magnet will be even stronger!

Engineers use electromagnets when they design and build motors . Motors are in use around us everyday, so we interact with electromagnets all the time without even realizing it! Can you think of some motors that you have used? (Possible answers: Washing machine, dishwasher, can opener, garbage disposal, sewing machine, computer printer, vacuum cleaner, electric toothbrush, compact disc [CD] player, digital video disc [DVD] player, VCR tape player, computer, electric razor, an electric toy [radio-controlled vehicles, moving dolls], etc.)

Before the Activity

  • Gather materials and make copies of the Building an Electromagnet Worksheet .
  • Set up enough Electromagnetic Field Stations to accommodate teams of two students each.
  • As an alternative, conduct both parts of the activity as teacher-led class demonstrations.

A photo shows a cardboard tube wrapped in wire and placed on a piece of flat cardboard. Two long tails of the coiled wire run through holes in the cardboard and are attached with a rubber band to opposite ends of a D-cell battery.

  • Prepare for Electromagnetic Field Stations: Wrap wire around a cardboard toilet paper tube 12-15 times to make a wire loop. Leave two long tails of wire hanging from the coil. Poke four holes in the cardboard. Weave the wire ends through the cardboard holes so that the card board tube and coil are attached to the cardboard (see Figure 2). Use clothespins, clamps or tape to secure the cardboard to a table or desk. Using masking tape or rubber band, connect one end of the coil wire to any battery, leaving the other end of the wire not connected to the battery. Place some pins, paperclips or tacks at the station. Also, place any other available extra batteries (6V, 12V, etc.) and two, small orienteering compasses at this station.
  • Prepare for Building an Electromagnet: For this portion of the activity, either set up the materials at a station, or give them to pairs of students to work on at their desks.
  • Set aside a few extra batteries for students to test their own electromagnets. These might include the 9-V batteries. You can make a 3-V battery setup by connecting 2 D-cells in series or a 4.5-V battery setup by connecting 3 D-cells in series.
  • Cut one 2-ft (.6 m) piece of wire for each team. Using wire strippers, remove about ½ inch (1.3 cm) of insulation from both ends of each piece of wire.

With the Students: Electromagnetic Field Stations

  • Divide the class into pairs of students. Hand out one worksheet per team.
  • Working from the pre-activity setup (see Figure 2), in which one end of the coiled wire is attached to one end of the battery, have students connect the other end of the wire to the other end of the battery using tape or rubber band.
  • To locate the magnetic field of the electromagnet, direct students to move the compass in a circle around the electromagnet, paying attention to the direction that the compass points (see Figure 3). Direct students to draw the battery, coil and magnetic field on their worksheets. Use arrows to show the magnetic field. Label the positive and negative ends of the battery and the poles of the magnetic field. What happens if you dangle a paperclip from another paperclip near the coil (see Figure 3)? (Answer: The dangling paperclip moves, changes direction and/or wobbles.)

Two photos show a hand holding a compass and a dangling paperclip near the cardboard tube wrapped in wire with two long tails of the wire run through holes in the cardboard and attached with a rubber band to opposite ends of a D-cell battery.

  • Next, reverse the connection of the electromagnet by changing both ends of the wire to the opposite ends of the battery. (When the direction of current is reversed in either a coil or electromagnet, the magnetic poles reverse—the north pole becomes the south pole, and the south pole becomes the north pole.) Use the compass to check the direction of the magnetic field. Make a second drawing. Dangle the paperclip near the coil again. What happens? (Answer: Again, the dangling paperclip moves, changes direction and/or wobbles.)
  • Remove at least one end of the wire from the battery to conserve battery power.
  • If time permits, use different batteries and observe any changes. A higher voltage translates to a greater current, and with more current, the electromagnet becomes stronger.

With the Students: Building an Electromagnet

  • Make sure each student pair has the following materials: 1 nail, 2 feet (.6 m) of insulated wire, 1 D-cell battery, several paperclips (or tacks or pins) and a rubber band.
  • Wrap the wire around a nail at least 20 times (see Figure 4). Ensure students wrap their nails tightly, leaving no gaps between the wires and not overlapping the wraps.
  • Give the students several minutes to see if they can create an electromagnet on their own before giving them the rest of the instructions.
  • To continue making the electromagnet, connect the ends of the coiled wire to each end of the battery using the rubber band to hold the wires in place (see Figure 4).

A photograph shows a nail wrapped in red wire with the wire ends connected with a rubber band to opposite ends of a D-cell battery.

  • Test the strength of the electromagnet by seeing how many paperclips it can pick up.
  • Record the number of paperclips on the worksheet.
  • Disconnect the wire from the battery after testing the electromagnet. Can the electromagnet pick up paperclips when the current is disconnected? (Answer: No)
  • Test how varying the design of the electromagnet affects its strength. The two variables to modify are the number of coils around the nail and the current in the coiled wire by using a different size or number of batteries. To conserve the battery's power, remember to disconnect the wire from the battery after each test.
  • Complete the worksheet; making a list of ways engineers might be able to use electromagnets.
  • Conclude by holding a class discussion. Compare results among teams. Ask students the post-assessment engineering discussion questions provided in the Assessment section.

battery: A cell that carries a charge that can power an electric current.

current: A flow of electrons.

electromagnet: A magnet made of an insulated wire coiled around an iron core (or any magnetic material such as iron, steel, nickel, cobalt) with electric current flowing through it to produce magnetism. The electric current magnetizes the core material.

electromagnetism: Magnetism created by an electric current.

engineer: A person who applies her/his understanding of science and mathematics to create things for the benefit of humanity and our planet. This includes the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, products, processes and systems.

magnet: An object that generates a magnetic field.

magnetic field: The space around a magnet in which the magnet's magnetic force is present.

motor: An electrical device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

permanent magnet: An object that generates a magnetic field on its own (without the help of a current).

solenoid: A coil of wire.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Prediction : Ask students to predict what will happen when a wire is wrapped around a nail and electricity is added. Record their predictions on the classroom board.

Brainstorming : In small groups, have students engage in open discussion. Remind them that no idea or suggestion is "silly." All ideas should be respectfully heard. Ask the students: What is an electromagnet?

Activity-Embedded Assessment

Worksheet : At the beginning of the activity, hand out the Building an Electromagnet Worksheet . Have students make drawings, record measurements and follow along with the activity on their worksheets. After students finish the worksheet, have them compare answers with a peer or another pair, giving all students time to finish. Review their answers to gauge their mastery of the subject.

Hypothesize : As students make their electromagnet, ask each group what would happen if they changed the size of their battery. How about more coils of wire around the nail? (Answer: An electromagnet can be made stronger in two ways: increasing the amount of electric current going through the wire or increasing the number of wire wraps in the coil of the electromagnet.)

Post-Activity Assessment

Engineering Discussion Questions : Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses.

  • What are ways an engineer might modify an electromagnet to change the strength of its magnetic field? Which modifications might be the easiest or cheapest? (Possible answers: Increasing the number of coils used in the solenoid [electromagnet] is probably the least expensive and easiest way to increase the strength of an electromagnet. Or, an engineer might increase the current in the electromagnet. Or, an engineer might use a metal core that is more easily magnetized.)
  • How might engineers use electromagnets in separating recyclable materials? (Answer: Some of the metals in a salvage or recycling pile are attracted to a magnet and can be easily separated. Non-ferrous metals must go through a two-step process in which a voltage is applied to the metal to temporarily induce a current in it, which temporarily magnetizes the metal so it is attracted to the electromagnet for separation from non-metals.)
  • What are some ways that engineers might be able to use electromagnets? (Possible answers: Engineers use electromagnets in the design of motors. For examples, see the possible answers to the next question.)
  • How are electromagnets used in everyday applications? (Possible answers: Motors are in use around us everyday, for example, refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, can opener, garbage disposal, sewing machine, computer printer, vacuum cleaner, electric toothbrush, compact disc [CD] player, digital video disc [DVD] player, VCR tape player, computer, electric razor, an electric toy [radio-controlled vehicles, moving dolls], etc.)

Graphing Practice : Present the class with the following problems and ask students to graph their results (or the entire class' results). Discuss which variables made a bigger change in the strength of the electromagnet.

  • Make a graph that shows how the electromagnet strength changed as you changed the number of wire coils in your electromagnet.
  • Make a graph that shows how the strength of your electromagnet changed as the current changed (as you changed the battery size).

Safety Issues

The electromagnet can get quite warm, particularly at the terminals, so have students disconnect their batteries at frequent intervals.

A high density of nail wraps is important to produce a magnetic field. If the wrapped nails are not acting as magnets, check students’ coil wraps to ensure they are not crisscrossed, and that the wraps are tight. Also, use thin gauge wire to enable more wraps along the length of the nail.

Iron nails work better than bolts since the bolt threads do not permit smooth wrapping of the copper wire, which may disrupt the magnetic field.

Avoid using batteries that are not fully charged. Partially discharged batteries will not generate a strong and observable magnetic reaction.

If the electromagnets get too warm, have students use rubber kitchen gloves to handle them.

Another way to vary the current in the electromagnet is to use wires of different gauges (thickness) or of different materials (for example: copper vs. aluminum). Ask students to test different wire types to see how this affects the electromagnet's strength. As a control, keep constant the number of coils and amount of current (battery) for all wire tests. Then, based on their rest results, ask students to make guesses about the resistances of the various wires.

  • For lower grades, have students follow along with the teacher-led demonstration to create a simple electromagnet. Discuss the basic definition of an electromagnet and how electromagnets are used in everyday applications.
  • For upper grades, have students investigate ways to change the strength of their electromagnets without giving them any hints or clues. Have students graph their worksheet data from varying the number of coils and/or battery size in their electromagnet.

electromagnetic force simple experiment

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Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: July 30, 2020

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more in Experiments

Make an electromagnet, you will need.

A large iron nail (about 3 inches) About 3 feet of THIN COATED copper wire A fresh D size battery Some paper clips or other small magnetic objects

1. Leave about 8 inches of wire loose at one end and wrap most of the rest of the wire around the nail. Try not to overlap the wires. 2. Cut the wire (if needed) so that there is about another 8 inches loose at the other end too.

3. Now remove about an inch of the plastic coating from both ends of the wire and attach the one wire to one end of a battery and the other wire to the other end of the battery. See picture below. (It is best to tape the wires to the battery – be careful though, the wire could get very hot!) 4. Now you have an ELECTROMAGNET! Put the point of the nail near a few paper clips and it should pick them up! NOTE: Making an electromagnet uses up the battery somewhat quickly which is why the battery may get warm, so disconnect the wires when you are done exploring.

How does it work?

Most magnets, like the ones on many refrigerators, cannot be turned off, they are called permanent magnets. Magnets like the one you made that can be turned on and off, are called ELECTROMAGNETS. They run on electricity and are only magnetic when the electricity is flowing. The electricity flowing through the wire arranges the molecules in the nail so that they are attracted to certain metals. NEVER get the wires of the electromagnet near at household outlet! Be safe – have fun!

MAKE IT AN EXPERIMENT

The project above is a DEMONSTRATION. To make it a true experiment, you can try to answer these questions:

1. Does the number of times you wrap the wire around the nail affect the strength of the nail?

2. Does the thickness or length of the nail affect the electromagnets strength?

3. Does the thickness of the wire affect the power of the electromagnet?

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NOTIFICATIONS

Making an electromagnet.

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Magnetism and electricity are forces generated by the movement of electrons. They are both electromagnetic forces – the interplay of these two forces is the basis for many modern technologies. Electromagnets are magnets that are generated by electric fields. They have the advantage over regular magnets in that they can be switched on and off.

Electromagnets can be created by wrapping a wire around an iron nail and running current through the wire. The electric field in the wire coil creates a magnetic field around the nail. In some cases, the nail will remain magnetised even when removed from within the wire coil. Electromagnets are fundamental to many modern technologies.

In this activity, students build a simple electromagnet.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  • build a simple electromagnet
  • explore the influence of different variables on the effectiveness of the electromagnet
  • work methodically to adapt their design to improve the electromagnet function.

Download the Word file (see link below) for:

  • background information for teachers
  • student instructions.

Nature of science

The NZC ‘Investigating in science’ strand of the nature of science requires teachers to provide students with opportunities to extend their experiences and personal explanations of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions and discussing simple models. This activity provides such opportunities.

Activity ideas

Other activities on the SLH that explore magnetism include Probing fridge magnets , Make an electric motor , Investigating magnetism and Making a weather vane and compass .

Related content

There are several articles and a PLD session related to magnetism. They include Introducing magnetism , Using magnetism , Geothermal power , Superconductivity , Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Exploring magnetism .

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How to Make an Electromagnet - Learn how to use electricity to create a magnet

Posted by Admin / in Energy & Electricity Experiments

A cool science experiment which teaches kids about a magnetic field is to make an electromagnet from scratch. Electromagnet principles and theory was developed by Andre Marie Ampere in 1821. D.F. Arago then invented the first working electromagnet. This invention helped lead Michael Faraday to later invent the electric motor.

Materials Needed

  • Magnet wire (about 5-10 feet)
  • Metal paper clips
  • Battery (D cell or lantern battery) with battery holder or connection wires

EXPERIMENT STEPS

Step 1: First, an iron or steel nail is needed. Do not use a galvanized or aluminum nail or the required magnetic field is not created. Leaving approximately 6" of wire slack, start wrapping the magnet wire around the iron nail.

Step 2: Wrap the wire 25 times around the nail.

Step 3: Attach both ends of the loose wire to the battery. Connect one side to the positive (+) side and the other side to the negative (-) side. Do not leave the wire attached to both battery terminals too long or the battery power will be drained and the wire will get hot.

Step 4: Move the nail near the paper clips.

Step 5: Disconnect one side of the wire from the battery.

electromagnetic force simple experiment

Step 6: Wrap the wire another 25 turns around the nail.

Science Learned

The electromagnet proves that a magnetic field and electricity are related. In fact, calculation of electromotive force is very similar to Ohm's law. Remember that Ohm's law is used to calculate the voltage drop across a circuit with a resistor, where v=iR (voltage=current x resistance). To calulcate the electromotive force in a magnetic circuit use the equation F=IN (Force=current x number of turns). The number of turns and the current in the battery both change the amount of magnetic force in an electromagnet.

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electromagnetic force simple experiment

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electromagnetic force simple experiment

Electromagnetic Force

Introduction.

Magnetism is the force that moving charges exert on one another. This formal definition is based on this simple equation.

F B  =  q v  ×  B

Recall that electricity is (in essence) the force that charges exert on one another. Since this force exists whether or not the charges are moving, it is sometimes called the electrostatic force. Magnetism could be said to be an electrodynamic force, but it rarely is. The combination of electric and magnetic forces on a charged object is known as the Lorentz force .

F  =  q ( E  +  v  ×  B )

For large amounts of charge…

   =     × 
 
   =     ×   =     × 
 
   =   × 
 

This formula for the magnetic force on a current carrying wire is the basis for the experiment that was used to define the ampère from 1948 to 2019.

The ampère is that constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section, and placed one meter apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2 × 10 −7 newton per meter of length BIPM, 1948

Using Ampère's law, we derived a formula for the strength of the magnetic field surrounding a long straight current carrying wire…

 =  μ

Substitute this expression into the magnetic force formula. (Since the two wires are parallel the field of one strikes the other at a right angle and the cross product reduces to straight multiplication.) The solve for the force per unit length as described in the experiment…

   =   × 
 
   =  μ
   =  μ
 

This sets the permeability of free space to its unusually precise value (unusually precise for a physical constant). Substitute the values for the measurements described in the BIPM experiment into the last equation we derived…

μ

and solve for the permeability of free space…

  μ  =  2π(1 m)(2 × 10  N)
  (1 m)(1 A)
  μ  =  4π × 10  N/A
 

Returning to formula for the magnetic force on a current carrying wire leads to the following definition of magnetic field strength and its unit, the tesla.

 =   ×   ⇒   =   ⇒ 

T =  N

Am

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  • Intro Lab - Build an Electromagnet

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In this hands-on electronics experiment, you will build an electromagnet and learn about electromagnetism including the relationship of magnetic polarity to current flow.

Project overview.

In this project, you will build and test the electromagnet circuit illustrated in Figure 1.  Electromagnetism has many applications, including:

  • Electric motors
  • Computer printer mechanisms
  • Magnetic media write heads (tape recorders and disk drives)

Electromagnet circuit for generating a magnetic field from an electric current.

Figure 1. Electromagnet circuit for generating a magnetic field from an electric current.

Parts and materials.

  • 6 V battery
  • Magnetic compass
  • Small permanent magnet
  • Spool of 28-gauge magnet wire
  • Large bolt, nail, or steel rod
  • Electrical tape

Magnet wire is a term for thin-gauge copper wire with enamel insulation instead of rubber or plastic insulation. Its small size and very thin insulation allow for many turns to be wound in a compact coil. Keep in mind that you will need enough magnet wire to wrap hundreds of turns around the bolt, nail, or other rod-shaped steel forms.

Another thing, make sure to select a bolt, nail, or rod that is magnetic. Stainless steel, for example, is non-magnetic and will not function for the purpose of an electromagnet coil! The ideal material for this experiment is soft iron, but any commonly available steel will suffice.

Learning Objectives

  • Application of the left-hand rule
  • Electromagnet construction

Instructions

Step 1:  Wrap a single layer of electrical tape around the steel bar (or bolt or mail) to protect the wire from abrasion.

Step 2:  Proceed to wrap several hundred turns of wire around the steel bar, making the coil as even as possible. It is okay to overlap wire, and it is okay to wrap in the same style that a fishing reel wraps the line around the spool. The only rule you must follow is that all turns must be wrapped around the bar in the same direction (no reversing from clockwise to counter-clockwise!).

I find that a drill press works as a great tool for coil winding: clamp the rod in the drill’s chuck as if it were a drill bit, then turn the drill motor on at a slow speed and let it do the wrapping! This allows you to feed wire onto the rod in a very steady, even manner.

Step 3:  After you’ve wrapped several hundred turns of wire around the rod, wrap a layer or two of electrical tape over the wire coil to secure the wire in place.

Step 4:  Scrape the enamel insulation off the ends of the coil wires to expose the wire for connection to jumper leads

Step 5: Connect the coil to a battery, as illustrated in Figure 1 and defined in the circuit schematic of Figure 2.

Schematic diagram of the electromagnet circuit.

Figure 2.  Schematic diagram of the electromagnet circuit.

Step 6:  When the electric current goes through the coil, it will produce a strong magnetic field with one pole at each end of the rod. This phenomenon is known as electromagnetism. With the electromagnet energized (connected to the battery), use the magnetic compass to identify the north and south poles of the electromagnet. 

Step 7: Place a permanent magnet near one pole and note whether there is an attractive or repulsive force.

Step 8:  Reverse the orientation of the permanent magnet and repeat steps 7 and 8. Note the difference in force caused by changing the polarity of the applied voltage and the direction of the current flow. 

Inductive Kickback

You might notice a significant spark whenever the battery is disconnected from the electromagnet coil, much greater than the spark produced if the battery is short-circuited. This spark results from a high-voltage surge created whenever current is suddenly interrupted through the coil.

The effect is called inductive kickback  and can deliver a small but harmless electric shock. To avoid receiving this shock, do not place your body across the break in the circuit when de-energizing. Use one hand at a time when un-powering the coil, and you’ll be perfectly safe.

Related Content

Learn more about the fundamentals behind this project in the resources below.

  • Magnetism and Electromagnetism
  • Electromagnetism

Worksheets:

  • Basic Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Induction Worksheet
  • Intermediate Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Induction Worksheet
  • Advanced Electromagnetism and Electromagnetic Induction Worksheet
  • Textbook Index

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Middle school physics

Course: middle school physics   >   unit 2, electromagnetism.

  • Understand: electromagnetism

electromagnetic force simple experiment

Key points:

  • When electric charges move, they create magnetic fields in the space around them.
  • Electric charges moving through a wire create electric current .
  • Electromagnets only work when the electric current is turned on.
  • Increasing the electric current or increasing the number of wire loops increases the strength of the electromagnet.
  • Increasing the speed of the moving magnet, using a stronger magnet, or increasing the number of wire loops produces more electric current.
  • Moving the coil of wire around a magnet will also create electric current.

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Great Answer

The National MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.

Interactive Tutorials

These demonstrations about laws and tools associated with electricity and magnetism allow you to adjust variables at and to visualize invisible forces — which makes them almost better than the real thing.

Two columns list page

Alternating Current

Alternating Current

Every time you plug something into the electricity in your house, you are utilizing the power of alternating current (AC.)

Arc Lamp thumbnail

Arc lamps were the first type of electric light, so brilliant the lamps were used for lighthouses and street lights.

Barkhausen Effect thumbnail

Barkhausen Effect

The Barkhausen effect makes the concept of magnetic domains audible.

Bullet Speed thumbnail

Bullet Speed

This tutorial takes a shot at explaining how circuits can be used to measure things beyond the capacity of human senses.

Capacitor

A capacitor is similar to a battery, but a few key differences make them crucial additions to many machines.

Electromagnetic Deflection in a Cathode Ray Tube, I thumbnail

Cathode Ray Electromagnetic Deflection Basics

Discover how cathode rays behave in a magnetic field.

Electromagnetic Deflection in a Cathode Ray Tube, II thumbnail

Cathode Ray Tube Television

For decades, the Cathode Ray Tube was used for video displays from televisions to computer screens. 

Compasses in Magnetic Fields

Compasses in Magnetic Fields

The invention of the magnetic compass radically changed the way humans navigated from place to place. Travelers could orient themselves even when the …

Contracting Helix thumbnail

Contracting Helix

This device demonstrates how parallel wires attract because of the magnetic fields they generate.

Current Flow thumbnail

Current Flow

This tutorial illustrates the flow of electricity through a circuit and how that flow is impacted by resistors in the circuit.

Daniell Cell thumbnail

Daniell Cell

English chemist John Frederick Daniell came up with a twist on the simple voltaic cell.

DC Motor

This simple direct current (DC) motor has been created by pairing a permanent magnet and an electromagnet. The permanent magnet is called a stator bec…

Deionization thumbnail

Deionization

The magnets here at the lab generate massive amounts of heat. To cool them off, we need massive amounts of water. But first, we have to take the ions …

Diamagnetism and Paramagnetism thumbnail

Diamagnetism and Paramagnetism

Certain metals exhibit a strong response to a magnetic field. But everything reacts to magnetic fields in some way.

Electricity Meter thumbmail

Electricity Meter

The newest electric meters rely on different techniques to measure usage. But power to many homes and businesses is still monitored by traditional met…

Electromagnetic Induction

Electromagnetic Induction

When a permanent magnet is moved inside of a copper wire coil, electrical current flows inside of the wire. This important physics phenomenon is calle…

Electromotive Force in Inductors thumbnail

Electromotive Force in Inductors

Electromotive Force is an important phenomenon that impacts the way electrons flow through a conductor.

Electrostatic Generator thumbnail

Electrostatic Generator

Though simple by today's standards, the early electrostatic generators were a great milestone in humankind's understanding of electricity.

Electrostatic Repulsion in Van de Graaff Bubbles thumbnail

Electrostatic Repulsion from Van de Graaff Generator

A fun way to illustrate electrostatic forces from a Van de Graaff generator.

Faraday Motor thumbnail

Faraday Motor

Just a year after electromagnetism was discovered, the great scientist Michael Faraday figured out how to turn it into motion.

Faraday's Ice Pail thumbnail

Faraday’s Ice Pail

Out of a humble ice pail the great experimentalist Michael Faraday created a device to demonstrate key principles of attraction, repulsion and electro…

Foucault's Disk thumbnail

Foucault's Disk

In 1855, a French physicist created a device that illustrated how eddy currents work.

Galvanometer thumbnail

Galvanometer

A galvanometer detects and measures small amounts of current in an electrical circuit.

Guitar Pickup tumbnail

Guitar Pickup

This simple device transforms the mechanical energy of the vibrating guitar strings into electrical energy.

Hall Effect thumbnail

Hall Effect

When a magnetic field is applied to a flowing current, it creates a weak but measurable voltage. This is the Hall effect.

Heat Resistance

Heat Resistance

Metals conduct electricity because their atoms have free electrons that can move between them. As those free electrons move through the metal conducto…

Ignition Coil thumbnail

Ignition Coil

Start your engines and learn about the ignition coil, a key to operating your car.

Inductive Pendulum thumbnail

Inductive Pendulum

Get the swing of electromagnetic induction with this device.

Inductive Reactance thumbnail

Inductive Reactance

Like resistance, reactance slows down an electrical current. This phenomenon occurs only in AC circuits.

Kelvin Water Dropper thumbnail

Kelvin Water Dropper

The legendary Lord Kelvin made electricity from water with his water dropper.

Lodge's Experiment thumbnail

Lodge's Experiment

Sir Oliver Lodge's experiment demonstrating the first tunable radio receiver was an important stepping stone on the path toward the invention of a pra…

Lorentz Force thumbnail

Lorentz Force

A wire fashioned into a pendulum moves inside a magnetic field, demonstrating the Lorentz force.

Magnetic Core Memory thumbnail

Magnetic Core Memory

Magnetic core memory was developed in the late 1940s and 1950s, and remained the primary way in which early computers read, wrote and stored data unti…

Magnetic Domains

Magnetic Domains

Why can some materials be turned into magnets? It’s all thanks to magnetic domains.

Magnetic Field Around a Wire, I

Magnetic Field Around a Wire

Whenever current travels through a conductor, a magnetic field is generated.

Magnetic Field of a Solenoid

Magnetic Field of a Solenoid

You can create a stronger, more concentrated magnetic field by taking wire and forming it into a coil called a solenoid.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines, commonly known as MRIs, are awesome diagnostic tools for medical applications and research. Relying on strong sup…

Magnetic Shunt thumbnail

Magnetic Shunt

Magnetic shunts are often used to adjust the amount of flux in the magnetic circuits found in most electrical motors.

Mass Spectra thumbnail

Mass Spectra

Mass spectrum reveals how many isotopes of a given element are to be found in a material.

Mass Spectrometer (Dual Sector)

Mass Spectrometer (Dual Sector)

Mass spectrometers are instruments that give scientists insight into the composition of complex materials. These spectrometers can analyze materials a…

Mass Spectrometer (Single Sector)

Mass Spectrometer (Single Sector)

Mass spectrometers are instruments that give scientists information on the composition of a material. Mass spectrometers can pick apart complex substa…

Microwaves thumbnail

How does a microwave heat your food? Water interacting with high-frequency electromagnetic waves.

Ørsted's Compass

Ørsted's Compass

In 1820, Hans Christian Ørsted discovered the relationship between electricity and magnetism in this very simple experiment.

Parallel Wires thumbnail

Parallel Wires

A pair of parallel wires serves to illustrate a principle that French scientist André-Marie Ampère was the first to comprehend.

Pixii Machine thumbnail

Pixii Machine

This “magneto-electric machine” was the first to turn motion into electricity.

Simple Electrical Cell thumbnail

Simple Electrical Cell

The simple electrical cell explained here is the most basic type of "wet" cell and demonstrates the fundamental chemistry behind batteries.

Tape Recorder thumbnail

Tape Recorder

Two heads — or even three — are better than one when it comes to understanding how tape recorders harness electromagnetic induction.

Transformers thumbnail

Transformers

Transformers are devices that transfer a voltage from one circuit to another circuit via induction.

Transmission Lines thumbnail

Transmission Lines

Electricity goes through some ups and downs on its way from the power plant to your house. Here's how it works.

Van de Graaff Generator

Van de Graaff Generator

The Van de Graaff generator is a popular tool for teaching the principles of electrostatics. You might remember it as the thing that made your hair st…

Voltaic Pile thumbnail

Voltaic Pile

Italian scientist Alessandro Volta was the first to recognize key principles of electrochemistry, and applied those principles to the creation of the …

Wheatstone Bridge thumbnail

Wheatstone Bridge

This circuit is most commonly used to determine the value of an unknown resistance to an electrical current.

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June 18, 2024 feature

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

A method to reversibly control Casimir forces using external magnetic fields

by Ingrid Fadelli , Phys.org

A method to reversibly control Casimir forces using external magnetic fields

The so-called Casimir force or Casimir effect is a quantum mechanical phenomenon resulting from fluctuations in the electromagnetic field between two conducting or dielectric surfaces that are a short distance apart. Studies have shown that this force can be either be attractive or repulsive, depending on the dielectric and magnetic properties of the materials used in experiments.

Researchers at University of Science and Technology of China have recently been exploring the possibility of selectively tuning the Casimir force , in other words switching it from attractive to repulsive and vice-versa, using external magnetic fields. Their study, featured in Nature Physics , demonstrates the successful magnetic field-tuning of the Casimir force arising from a gold sphere and silica plate immersed in water-based ferrofluids.

"My research area is condensed matter physics, but I also have a strong interest in fundamental physics, such as quantum fluctuations and their induced effects," Changgan Zeng, the corresponding author of the paper, told Phys.org.

"Over the past two decades, I have closely followed developments in the field of Casimir forces, and I was particularly impressed by a paper by Munday et al. in Nature . Casimir forces are typically attractive, which poses challenges for applications, such as in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In their paper, the authors devised an elegant experiment to achieve repulsive Casimir forces by carefully selecting the dielectric permittivities of the involved materials."

Inspired by this previous paper published in 2009, Zeng set out to pursue further research aimed at reversibly controlling Casimir forces by applying magnetic fields. His hope was to devise a reliable approach to modulate the Casimir effect, which could open new avenues for both research and technology development.

"Initially, we considered controlling the Casimir force by applying an electric field , inspired by the concept of FET devices," Zeng explained. "Although it is well known that the Casimir force depends on the dielectric permittivities of the materials involved, these permittivities are generally not sensitive to external fields. On the other hand, according to Lifshitz theory, the Casimir force also depends on the magnetic permeabilities of the materials."

The magnetic permeability of many magnetic materials, particularly ferrofluids, can be modulated by applying external magnetic fields. Zeng and his students thus decided to use water-based ferrofluids to enable the tuning of the Casimir force between a gold sphere and a silica plate.

"I proposed this project to my graduate students, but none were willing to take it on," Zeng said. "Ultimately, I managed to persuade some talented undergraduates to undertake the project, and we succeeded."

Zeng and his students first performed a series of theoretical calculations. These calculations suggested that the Casimir force could be switched from attractive to repulsive simply by modulating an external magnetic field, the distance between their two material samples and the volume of ferrofluids they employed.

The researchers then conducted an experiment designed to test their predictions. Using a cantilever that could collect measurements inside ferrofluids, they observed how the changes they implemented affected the Casimir effect.

The findings of this recent study could soon pave the way for further efforts at effectively tuning the Casimir effect using external fields. Collectively, these works could enable the development of new switchable micromechanical devices that leverage Casimir forces.

"We achieved reversible tuning of the Casimir force from attractive to repulsive using a magnetic field, paving the way for the development of switchable micromechanical devices based on the tunable Casimir effect," Zeng added. "In our next studies, we plan to control the Casimir force using light. For example, the plasmons in metal plates can be excited by light, which should effectively alter the Casimir force."

Journal information: Nature , Nature Physics

© 2024 Science X Network

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IMAGES

  1. simple experiment of electromagnetic force

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

  2. How to Make Electromagnet Experiment

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

  3. Physics

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

  4. DIY Electromagnet: iron core (nail), wire, and DC source (D cell

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

  5. How to make an electromagnet

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

  6. How to Make an Electromagnet

    electromagnetic force simple experiment

VIDEO

  1. Electromagnetic force Meaning

  2. Amazing Magnet Experiment

  3. EMLEV

  4. Experiment on electrostatic force of attraction

  5. ELECTROMAGNETIC SCIENCE EXPERIMENT... YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE!!

  6. simple experiment of electromagnetic force

COMMENTS

  1. 8 Experiments to Teach Electromagnetism

    5. Use a Reed Switch. In the Build a Reed Switch Motor project, students build a simple direct current (DC) motor using an electromagnet and a reed switch and then experiment to explore the effect of voltage on motor speed. The voltage in a DC motor doesn't alternate with time (the way alternating current (AC) does).

  2. Electromagnetism: Electrifying at Home Experiments

    Experiment 2: Electromagnet. As you saw in the last experiment, electric current flowing through a wire produces a magnetic field. This principle comes in very handy in the form of an electromagnet. An electromagnet is wire that is tightly wrapped around a ferromagnetic core. When the wire is connected to a battery, it produces a magnetic field ...

  3. The Strength of an Electromagnet

    Electromagnets are an important part of many electronic devices, like motors, loudspeakers, and hard drives. You can create an electromagnet with a simple coil of wire and a battery. In this project, you will explore whether the strength of an electromagnet changes with the number of turns in the magnet's coil.

  4. Creating an Electromagnet

    With the Students: Building an Electromagnet. Make sure each student pair has the following materials: 1 nail, 2 feet (.6 m) of insulated wire, 1 D-cell battery, several paperclips (or tacks or pins) and a rubber band. Wrap the wire around a nail at least 20 times (see Figure 4).

  5. MAKE AN ELECTROMAGNET

    Leave about 8 inches of wire loose at one end and wrap most of the rest of the wire around the nail. Try not to overlap the wires. 2. Cut the wire (if needed) so that there is about another 8 inches loose at the other end too. 3. Now remove about an inch of the plastic coating from both ends of the wire and attach the one wire to one end of a ...

  6. Experiment with Electromagnetism Science Projects

    An electric current produces a magnetic field. You can take advantage of this fact to make a simple apparatus to test the electrical conductivity of various materials, including both solids and liquids. The detector consists of a coil of wire, with a magnetic compass inside it. You connect one end of the coil to a D-cell battery.

  7. Electromagnets and their uses

    Attach small nails or paper clips, head to tail, from the electromagnet (the first C-core). Estimate the electromagnet's strength by counting the number of paper clips the C-core can support. Repeat this procedure for different values of current, then analyze the data. This experiment was safety-tested in April 2006.

  8. Making an electromagnet

    Electromagnets are magnets that are generated by electric fields. They have the advantage over regular magnets in that they can be switched on and off. Electromagnets can be created by wrapping a wire around an iron nail and running current through the wire. The electric field in the wire coil creates a magnetic field around the nail.

  9. Simple electromagnet

    Procedure. Wind a few dozen turns of insulated wire around an iron nail. (Leave enough wire free at either end to make connections to the power supply.) Connect the ends of the wire to the low-voltage DC power supply, so that a large current flows round the coil. To find out if the nail is a magnet, test it with iron filings.

  10. Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab

    Play with a bar magnet and coils to learn about Faraday's law. Move a bar magnet near one or two coils to make a light bulb glow. View the magnetic field lines. A meter shows the direction and magnitude of the current. View the magnetic field lines or use a meter to show the direction and magnitude of the current. You can also play with electromagnets, generators and transformers!

  11. How to Make an Electromagnet

    Step 1: First, an iron or steel nail is needed. Do not use a galvanized or aluminum nail or the required magnetic field is not created. Leaving approximately 6" of wire slack, start wrapping the magnet wire around the iron nail. Step 2: Wrap the wire 25 times around the nail. Step 3: Attach both ends of the loose wire to the battery.

  12. Physics Simulations: Electromagnetism

    Drag a compass needle through the space surrounding a bar magnet and observe the magnetic field created by the bar magnet. Bar Magnets. Experiment with six bar magnets. Drag them about. Flip them around. Orient them as you please. Observe their attractions and repulsions. And observe how changes in position and orientation affect the magnetic ...

  13. Electromagnetic Force

    Since this force exists whether or not the charges are moving, it is sometimes called the electrostatic force. Magnetism could be said to be an electrodynamic force, but it rarely is. The combination of electric and magnetic forces on a charged object is known as the Lorentz force. F = q ( E + v × B) For large amounts of charge…. FB = q. v × B.

  14. Electromagnetic induction (video)

    And today even after more than 200 years, all of our generators, all the electricity that you get at your homes is produced by electromagnetic induction. Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a ...

  15. Electromagnetism (video)

    Electromagnetism. Moving electric charges create magnetic fields in the space around them. These magnetic fields can be used to generate magnetic forces. Oppositely, when magnetic fields are changed around charges, they can create moving electric charges, or electricity. Both of these phenomena are called electromagnetism, which is used in ...

  16. Intro Lab

    In this hands-on electronics experiment, you will build an electromagnet and learn about electromagnetism including the relationship of magnetic polarity to current flow. ... Step 7: Place a permanent magnet near one pole and note whether there is an attractive or repulsive force. Step 8: Reverse the orientation of the permanent magnet and ...

  17. Fifth Grade, Experiment with Electromagnetism Science Projects

    When turned on, electromagnets act just like permanent magnets, but if you turn them off, their magnetic properties disappear. Electromagnets are an important part of many electronic devices, like motors, loudspeakers, and hard drives. You can create an electromagnet with a simple coil of wire and a battery. In this project,….

  18. Electromagnetism (article)

    An electromagnet is a coil of wires that becomes a magnet when electric current runs through it. Electromagnets only work when the electric current is turned on. Increasing the electric current or increasing the number of wire loops increases the strength of the electromagnet. Changing the magnetic field around a coil of wire (by moving a ...

  19. PDF Experiment EF—Electrostatic Force

    V 2 = ⎜ 2d 2ρg ⎞ ⎟ t. ⎝ ε 0 ⎠ If you plot V 2 vs.t , you should get a straight line whose slope is the coefficient of t .You can calculate the free permittivity of space, ε 0, from your experimental value for the slope: 2ρ gd2 ε 0 = . slope Use the following values: • thickness of perf-board + tape, d = 1 .7 ×10 −3 m ; • thickness of Aluminum foil, t = 7.6 × 10−6 m ;

  20. Interactive Tutorials

    Wheatstone Bridge. This circuit is most commonly used to determine the value of an unknown resistance to an electrical current. These demonstrations about laws and tools associated with electricity and magnetism allow you to adjust variables at and to visualize invisible forces — which makes them almost better than the real thing.

  21. Episode 414: Electromagnetic induction

    Episode 414-4: Investigating electromagnetic induction (Word, 219 KB) A simple experiment (or demonstration) can be done by passing a permanent magnet through a coil of wire that is connected to a data logger. This shows clearly that as the magnet moves into the coil an EMF is generated for a short time.

  22. PhET Simulation

    PhET Simulation

  23. A method to reversibly control Casimir forces using external magnetic

    The so-called Casimir force or Casimir effect is a quantum mechanical phenomenon resulting from fluctuations in the electromagnetic field between two conducting or dielectric surfaces that are a ...

  24. Inside Trump's Search for a Vice President

    The makeup of the 2024 presidential race has felt inevitable from the start — with one notable exception: Donald J. Trump's choice of a running mate.

  25. Abortion United Evangelicals and Republicans. Now That Alliance Is

    The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest denomination of Protestant Christians in the United States, voted at an annual gathering last week to oppose the use of in vitro fertilization.

  26. Eighth Grade, Experiment with Electromagnetism Science Projects

    An electric current produces a magnetic field. You can take advantage of this fact to make a simple apparatus to test the electrical conductivity of various materials, including both solids and liquids. The detector consists of a coil of wire, with a magnetic compass inside it. You connect one end of the coil to a D-cell battery.