How to Make an Electromagnet

Studying Oersted’s Experiment and electromagnetism led to new ways of harnessing electric power. One way is the electromagnet, which has many practical applications. This experiment shows you how to make an electromagnet.

Materials You Will Need:

• Energizer® Power Pack
• Small, non-metallic bowl
• Number 20 nail
• Thumbtacks
• (1) 6″ piece and (1) 2-yard piece of number 22 insulated copper bell wire with approximately 1″ of insulation stripped off all ends
• Switch or alternate commercial knife blade switch
• Paper clips

Steps to Make an Electromagnet:

1. Wind about 100 turns in the same direction, overlapping layers of wire around the nail.
2. Connect one wire end to the switch.
3. Connect the other end to the positive (+) lead wire of the Energizer® Power Pack.
4. Connect remaining wire from switch to negative (-) lead wire of the Energizer® Power Pack.
5. Close switch. Try to pick up tacks and clips with nail. What happens?

Open switch. Again, try to pick up tacks and clips. What happens?

You can increase your electromagnet’s power by making more wire turns around the nail or by increasing the current. See Oersted’s Experiment.

Source: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/How-To/science_lab/Articles/How_to_Make_an_Electromagnet.htm

How To Make Oersted’s Experiment

In 1819, a Danish scientist named Hans Christian Oersted discovered a close relationship between electricity and magnetism with this experiment. Oersted’s discovery led to the study of electromagnetism. Try Oersted’s experiment yourself!

Materials You Will Need:

• Energizer® Power Pack
• Small, non-metallic bowl
• Needle
• Modeling clay
• Cork—1/4″ slice off large end of 3/4″ cork
• Horseshoe or bar magnet
• 24″ piece of number 22 insulated copper bell wire with approximately 1″ of insulation stripped off both ends
• Switch or alternate commercial knife blade switch
• Tape

Steps to Create Oersted’s Experiment:

1. Stroke needle 50 times from center to one end with magnet. Tape on cork and place in bowl of water.
2. Watch direction of needle when you move magnet near it.
3. Place wire over top of dish. Secure it with clay.
4. Connect one end of wire to switch.
5. Connect other wire end from switch to negative (-) lead of your Energizer® Power Pack.
6. Connect other wire end from bowl to positive (+) lead of your Energizer® Power Pack.
7. Close switch. Observe results.

You’ve done the experiment that Oersted did— and have shown that there’s a magnetic field around the circuit wire when the electric current is flowing. When the current flows, the magnetic needle is deflected at right angles to the circuit wire.

This experiment is one of the most important in the utilization of electric power—it led to the discovery of electromagnetism and the development of the electric motor.

2. Watch direction of needle when you move magnet near it.
3. Place wire over top of dish. Secure it with clay.

Source: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/How-To/science_lab/Articles/Make_Oersteds_Experiment.htm?feedname=TECH_ENERGIZER_OERSTED&pos=2&nolookup=true

How to Make a Simple Telegraph Set

Samuel B. Morse’s invention of the telegraph in 1844 was a major step forward in rapid communication. The telegraph used a system of dots and dashes called Morse Code. Learn how to make a simple telegraph, and begin talking to your friends in code!

Materials You Will Need:

• Energizer® Power Pack
• Electromagnet
• Strip of 3″ to 5″ metal from can
• 3″ x 1″ x 1″ block of wood
• 6″ piece of number 22 insulated wire
• Switch or alternate commercial knife blade switch
• Piece of wood for base
• 4 nails

Steps to Make a Simple Telegraph:

1. Nail the wooden block to one end of the board.
2. Drive the nail of the electromagnet into the board (wood block should be slightly higher than the nail head).
3. Nail metal strip to top of block and bend in a dip so it is just above nail of electromagnet.
4. Connect lower electromagnet wire to the telegraph switch.  Connect other wire from switch to negative (-) lead of the Energizer® Power Pack. Connect upper electromagnet wire to positive (+) lead of the Energizer® Power Pack.
5. Press and release switch.

The telegraph switch closes the circuit and controls the sound. Short and long pauses between clicks are dots and dashes of the code. You may have to adjust the distance between the metal strip and the electromagnet head to make a click. With your telegraph set, you’re ready to practice Morse code.

Source: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/How+to+Make+a+Simple+Telegraph+Set/How-To/science_lab/Articles/How_to_Make_a_Simple_Telegraph_Set.htm?isfa=1

How to Make a Galvanometer

Italian physiologist Luigi Galvani accidentally discovered that the leg of a frog twitched when touched with an electrically charged scalpel. In this experiment, you’ll learn how to make a galvanometer, an instrument for detecting the strength of electrical current.

Materials You Will Need:

• Energizer® Power Pack
• Compass
• Strip of 3″ to 5″ metal from can
• Floating needle from Oersted’s Experiment
• Varied large lengths of number 22 insulated copper bell wire with approximately 1″ of insulation stripped from all ends
• Switch or alternate commercial knife blade switch
• 4 nails

Steps to Make a Galvanometer:

1. Wrap wire around “floating needle” dish five times. Set up floating needle as in Oersted’s Experiment. Connect one wire end to switch. Connect another wire end from switch to negative (-) lead of Power Pack. Connect wire from dish to positive (+) lead of Power Pack. Close the switch and observe how far and fast the needle turns.
2. Increase wire turns around the dish five more times. Repeat. Did the needle turn farther and faster?
3. Connect the bulb holder to the circuit by removing switch wire from negative (-) lead of Power Pack and connecting wire to the bulb holder. Connect negative (-) lead of Power Pack to the wire on the bulb holder.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 with a compass instead of the needle. Note the changes, if any.

1. Wrap wire around ”floating needle” dish five times. Set up floating needle as in Oersted’s Experiment. Connect one wire end to switch. Connect another wire end from switch to negative (-) lead of Power Pack. Connect wire from dish to positive (+) lead of Power Pack. Close the switch and observe how far and fast the needle turns.

Source: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/How+to+Make+a+Galvanometer/How-To/science_lab/Articles/How_to_Make_a_Galvanometer.htm?isfa=1

How to Make a Magnetic Compass

Without a magnetic compass, navigators could never have charted the seven seas, much less a trip to the moon and back. In this project, you’ll learn how to make a compass–the instrument that’s helped us explore the unknown.

Materials You Will Need:

• 3 needles
• Small strip of paper
• Modeling clay
• Magnet
• Transparent tape
• For outdoors: glass jar, pencil, thread

Steps to Make a Magnetic Compass:

1. Slide the magnet over two needles several times in the same direction to magnetize them.
2. Tape needles to folded paper. Mark needle eye ends “S” and needle point ends “N.”
3. Insert third needle in clay. Balance center of paper on top of needle.
4. Notice the needle will always point in the northward direction.

To use outdoors, fasten paper to a pencil with thread.

The Earth’s metallic core helps create the magnetic field with North and South Poles. A magnetic compass reacts with the Earth’s poles to point in the direction of the North Pole.

Source: http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/How+to+Make+a+Magnetic+Compass/How-To/science_lab/Articles/How_to_Make_a_Magnetic_Compass.htm?isfa=1