Magnets and Electromagnets

Lesson on creating an electromagnet with printable lab sheets. Students will investigate 2 questions: Can the strength of an electromagnet be changed by changing the voltage of the power source? Can the strength of an electromagnet be changed by changing the amount of wire wrapped around its core? This resource also includes a writing and math connection. Students will investigate ways to change the strength of an electromagnet.  

Weblink address (URL): 
Magnets and Electromagnets

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

In this activity students will:

  • work in teams
  • build an electromagnet with 25 turns of wire
  • test the 25-turn electromagnet's strength at 4 different voltages by using it to pick up paperclips
  • build an electromagnet with 50 turns of wire
  • test the 50-turn electromagnet's strength at 4 different voltages by using it to pick up paperclips
  • record data
  • use addition and division to calculate the average number of paperclips each electromagnet lifted at each voltage
  • create a line graph to depict each electromagnet's strength

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying

Helpful Hints

Minimum Materials Needed for Each Student Group:

  • A large iron nail ~16 centimeters (~6 inches) long
  • 3 meters (~10 feet) of No. 22 insulated, stranded copper wire
  • Four 1.5 volt batteries (D cells)
  • A battery holder to hold the four batteries
  • 100 metal paper clips
  • A small container to hold the paper clips

Optional Materials:

  • Alligator clips
  • A soldering iron and solder
  • Small screws and nuts
  • Voltage labels
  • Thick, strong tape

References

Contributors: 
Lisa Courson
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation