Lesson 2 of 6 · Magnetism
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabElectromagnets
Magnetism.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
What You'll Learn
A current in a wire creates a magnetic field around it. Wind the wire into a coil and the fields add to give a solenoid field like a bar magnet's. Add an iron core, more turns or more current and the electromagnet gets stronger — and it switches off with the current.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- insulated wire
- iron nail
- plastic rod
- low-voltage supply
- paper clips
- ammeter
Safety First
- Low-voltage supply only; the coil warms quickly, so switch off between trials.
- Do not exceed the supply's stated current.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Wind insulated wire around an iron nail and count how many paper clips it lifts. Vary the number of turns, then the current, then swap the nail for a plastic rod, recording the lift each time.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2Which change would NOT strengthen an electromagnet?
Where you see this in real life
This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
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Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
Electromagnets
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
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