How to Make a Paperclip Float With a Magnet
Magnets are attracted to many types of metal. If the magnet is bigger than the metal, sometimes it seems like the metal is attracted to the magnet. If metal is attracted to a magnet but is unable to get to it, the metal looks like it is floating in midair. This simple science experiment demonstrates the power of magnetic attraction.
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Instructions
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Tie one end of the string to the paperclip.
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Tape the other end to a table, floor, or other surface.
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Bring the magnet near the paperclip, but just out of the range created by the thread. As the paperclip moves towards the magnet, but is stopped by the thread, it looks like it's floating.
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Tips & Warnings
Experiment to see how far away you can hold the magnet from the paperclip before the paperclip falls.
You can test to see which materials block magnetic attraction by holding them between the magnet and the floating paperclip.
References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
