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Electromagnets Assignment

The document describes how to build a simple electromagnet using a metal nail, wire, and battery. Wrapping wire tightly around a nail and connecting the ends to a battery's terminals creates a magnetic field around the nail when current flows. The electromagnet's polarity - which end is north or south - can be predicted using the right-hand rule based on the direction the wire was wrapped. Reversing current direction switches the electromagnet's polarity. An electromagnet's strength is affected by the number of wire coils and amount of current.

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jothipriyag
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55 views

Electromagnets Assignment

The document describes how to build a simple electromagnet using a metal nail, wire, and battery. Wrapping wire tightly around a nail and connecting the ends to a battery's terminals creates a magnetic field around the nail when current flows. The electromagnet's polarity - which end is north or south - can be predicted using the right-hand rule based on the direction the wire was wrapped. Reversing current direction switches the electromagnet's polarity. An electromagnet's strength is affected by the number of wire coils and amount of current.

Uploaded by

jothipriyag
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Investigation 19A: Build an electromagnet

Essential questions: How are electricity and magnetism connected to each other?
How can you predict the polarity of an electromagnet?

An electromagnet uses electric current to create a magnetic field. An electromagnet is used in an


electric motor to attract and repel magnets on a spinning disc. By switching the direction of the
electric current, the magnetic field also changes its polarity. In the electric motor the electric current
direction is switched back-and-forth rapidly in order to spin the motor at high speed. In this
investigation you will create a simple electromagnet using a metal nail, ordinary wire, and a battery.

Part 1: Build the electromagnet


1. Cut a long piece of wire, approximately one
meter. Strip the insulation off of the two ends of
the wire.
2. Starting about 10 cm from one end of the wire,
wrap the wire tightly around the nail. Start from
the head end of the nail. As you wrap the coil,
make sure it is tight and that the wire does not
cross itself.
3. Stop wrapping at a point 0.5–1.0 cm before you
get to the tip of the nail. You should have at
least 10 cm of free wire on this end of the nail.
4. Attach the wire from the tip of the nail to the
positive terminal of the battery. Attach the other
end of the wire to the negative terminal.

Questions
‘

a. Does your electromagnet deflect a compass


needle?

b. How many paper clips can it lift? Record your trials below.

c. Propose additional investigative questions: What variables could you change that might affect
the strength of your electromagnet?

1
Part 2: Determine its polarity
The polarity of a magnet indicates which end is north
or south.

Questions
‘

a. Using the right-hand rule, predict the polarity


—which end is north and which is south—of
your electromagnet. Justify your answer.
(Hint: inspect carefully how you wound the
wire around the nail and include that
information in your model.)

b. Using the compass, check your prediction. Were you right?

Applying new knowledge


1. The magnetic field surrounding a wire is strongest:
A. close to the wire
B. far from the wire
C. the field does not vary with distance

2. Electromagnet polarity can be reversed by:


A. increasing current
B. decreasing current
C. reversing current direction

3. An electromagnet’s strength can be adjusted by:


A. adjusting the number of coils
B. adjusting the amount of current
C. both A and B
D. neither A nor B

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