Build Your Own Electromagnet (Highly Recommended)
Gain access to simple materials, try building an electromagnet:
- Battery (AA, AAA, or similar)
- Wire (thin copper wire works best)
- Iron nail or screw
Wrap the wire around the nail and connect it to the battery. Test how strong it is by picking up small metal objects (paperclips, staples, etc.).
Instead of following steps, you will design your own mini-experiment that addresses the first four learning goals.
Part 1: Exploration Notes
- What variables can you change?
- What tools help you observe the magnetic field?
- What patterns do you notice?
Part 2: Your Procedure
Write a short procedure (5–10 steps) for an experiment that would help someone learn:
- Field direction
- Differences between magnets and electromagnets
- What affects electromagnet strength
- How field strength changes with distance
Part 3: Results & Observations
- Describe what you observed
- Include sketches or diagrams
- Include at least one comparison (e.g., strong vs weak, near vs far)
Part 4: Reflection
- How are magnetic fields similar to gravitational fields?
- How are they different?
- What surprised you?