For a Good Science Project Make a Electromagnet
An electromagnet works when electric current runs through a wire and causes a magnetic field to form around the wire. When you put these wires side by side you intensify this effect. The more loops per inch there are around your nail the stronger your field will be. The magnetic field inside the loop causes the atoms of the nail to align their magnetic poles with the field. This is why after the battery is disconnected the nail will still hold a magnetic charge due to alignment of the atoms.
An electromagnet is a scientific experiment that can be fun to do with your children or with your family or just alone. Children love to do science projects and making an electromagnet can be a good learning experience for you and your child. It can be a good science project that is fun and easy to do. To make an electromagnet you will need the following list of items.
A long thin nail
Light weight insulated wire
Masking tape
Dry Cell Battery (size C or D)
Paper Clips and other metal objects
Making an electromagnet is easy to do and doesn’t take a lot of time to do it. You can make your own electromagnet doing just a few easy steps.
To make the electromagnet you will wrap the insulated wire snugly around the nail making sure the wrap is even and close together. The more loops you can make around the mail the stronger your magnet will be. It is possible to have a multi layer wrap to increase the intensity of the magnetic field.
After you have done the above carefully tape one end of the wire to the negative end making sure that there is a good connection. Now if you touch the wire to the positive side of the battery you should see a little spark. Again tape the wire making sure the connection is good. You have now created a magnet field in your coil of wire magnetizing the iron nail. Your nail will now be attracted to Ferris metal such as paper clips or nails. You will probably find that even after disconnecting the circuit that the nail will still be slightly magnetic. Eventually this magnetic force will wear itself out.
