What this lesson teaches
This activity illustrates how electric current can produce magnetism. Children learn the direct link between electricity and magnetism by building their own electromagnet and testing its strength.
Can you finish electromagnet magic in about 30 min?
You will this activity illustrates how electric current can produce magnetism.
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This activity illustrates how electric current can produce magnetism. Children learn the direct link between electricity and magnetism by building their own electromagnet and testing its strength.
Using hands-on experiments allows learners to visualize abstract concepts like electromagnetism. The immediate feedback of seeing their electromagnet attract paper clips reinforces the connection between electrical circuits and magnetic effects, employing principles of embodied cognition.
1. Gather a copper wire (1 meter), a large iron nail, and a AA battery. 2. Wrap the copper wire tightly around the nail at least 10 times, leaving both ends of the wire free. 3. Strip the ends of the wire to expose about 2 cm of copper. 4. Attach one end of the wire to the positive terminal of the battery. 5. Touch the other end to the negative terminal to activate the electromagnet. 6. Test your electromagnet by picking up small metal objects like paper clips — how many can you attract?