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Magnetism Lab 6 Online Variant

This document summarizes an experiment on physical magnets and induced magnetism. It discusses magnetic materials like iron and magnetite, how non-magnetic materials like bolts can be magnetized through induction, and the poles of bar magnets. The experiment involves observing the attraction of magnetic and non-magnetic objects, how induced magnets attract each other in a chain, and which poles of a bar magnet are strongly and weakly attractive. The summary discusses magnetic fields and field lines, and how a compass orients itself according to the Earth's magnetic field.

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36 views2 pages

Magnetism Lab 6 Online Variant

This document summarizes an experiment on physical magnets and induced magnetism. It discusses magnetic materials like iron and magnetite, how non-magnetic materials like bolts can be magnetized through induction, and the poles of bar magnets. The experiment involves observing the attraction of magnetic and non-magnetic objects, how induced magnets attract each other in a chain, and which poles of a bar magnet are strongly and weakly attractive. The summary discusses magnetic fields and field lines, and how a compass orients itself according to the Earth's magnetic field.

Uploaded by

melissaviolin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab 6: Physical Magnets and Induced Magnetism

1. Magnetic Materials
When working with pieces of iron, one can sometimes notice that they attract other small pieces
of iron like needles or nails. The first historical records of magnetism date back to 600 BC where
the Greeks used the magnetic properties of Magnetite to develop philosophy and Indians used it
to remove arrows from the human body less invasively than with a knife and tongs. Around the
11th century, Chinese scientists used magnetite to make the first lodestone compass for
navigation (since the Earth has a magnetic field, the needle would always align with the
magnetic field and point true north).
Observations
1. Materials that are attracted by a magnet are called magnetic, and those that do not are
called non-magnetic. In your notebook, make a table of objects that are magnetic and
those which are non-magnetic (if they are magnetic, make a note of the relative
strength of their magnetism)
Analysis
1. Based on your observations, what properties should a material have to be magnetic?
Why do you think that may be the case?
2. Magnetization by Induction
A magnetic material that is not a magnet (such as a bolt) can be temporarily magnetized (i.e.
made into a magnet) by a process called induction.
Observations
1. How many objects could I hang?
2. Does it seem like the length of the object matters more or does it seem like the weight
of the object matters more?
3. Record what happens as I slowly move the magnet away from the bolts
4. Record what happens as I quickly move the magnet away from the bolts

Analysis
1. Does the attractive force between two bolts stay equally strong down the chain? Why
might it behave that way?
2. Explain why the magnet attracts the first bolt.
3. Explain why the first bolt attracts the second bolt.
4. Explain observation 2.
5. Explain observation 3 and 4.
3. Poles of a Magnet
Observations
1. Observe whether a magnetic object such as a bolt is attracted to both ends (poles) of
the bar magnet equally.
2. Which places on the bar magnet have the strongest attraction to the magnetic object?
3. What points have the weakest attraction?
4. Make a sketch of the bar magnet and label points of strong and weak attraction on it.
5. Document which ends of the compass needle are attracted to which ends of the bar
magnet.
6. When a compass is held far away from any other magnet, what happens?
Analysis
1. In the above observations, you should have seen phenomena similar to those in the
electrostatics labs. How many different types of magnetic poles are there? What
names have they been given?
2. In your lab notebook, label your drawing of the bar magnet with the different poles
you observed.
3. Then, make a new drawing of the circular magnet and label its poles.
4. How does each type of magnetic pole interact with each other type of magnetic pole?
(Do they repel or attract or ignore each other completely?)
5. Using observation 5 and 6, can you say which ends of the compass needle are which
magnetic poles? Why?
Here we shall discuss magnetic fields and field lines, and figure out why a compass points in a
particular direction. Each team will be assigned one of the following questions to discuss and
answer. You may use the internet. One member chosen from each team will present their
findings to the rest of the class. As other teams are presenting, make sure to take notes.
Analysis
1. What is a magnetic field? What are magnetic field lines? What happens when you put
a compass near a magnetic field line?
2. Sketch the magnetic field lines of a bar magnet. Mark the poles and include arrows on
the magnetic field lines. Draw a small compass in the magnetic field and mark where
its north pole should point.
3. Sketch a schematic of the magnetic field of the earth, marking the geographic north
and south poles, and including arrows on the field lines. Draw a small compass
somewhere on the earth’s surface and mark where its north pole should point.
4. Based on the previous answers, in which direction does a compass needle point and
why?
5. Comparing the sketches of the magnetic fields of a bar magnet and the earth, what
fact must you conclude about where the earth’s north and south magnetic poles are
located?
Summary
There will always be a summary.

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