How to Make an Electromagnet

Electromagnets are used in many ways, such as picking up junk cars in junkyards and for propulsion (think of environmentally friendly European and Japanese maglev trains which travel at high speeds without burning fuel). If you want to better understand the relationship between electricity and magnetism, make an electromagnet. It's easy and electrically satisfying!

Things You'll Need

• 9 volt battery
• Two 3 inch iron nails
• 20 inch piece of insulated copper wire

Instructions

1. Get adult supervision if you are a child.

2. Gather materials; one 9 volt battery, two 3 inch iron nails and a 20 inch piece of insulated copper wire.

3. Strip back the insulation about a a quarter of an inch on both ends of the wire.

4. Hold one 3 inch iron nail in your hand. Remember that you must leave a little unwrapped wire at both ends, so wrap the middle of the wire around the nail. Starting a half an inch down from the nail head, coil/wrap the piece of copper wire around the nail, working your way down.

5. Wrap the wire about 15 turns, again remembering to leave some loose, unwrapped wire at both ends. The wraps should lie side by side on the nail and not on top of each other.

6. Twist one end of wire to one terminal of a DC voltage source (the 9 volt battery) and the other end of the wire to the other battery terminal. This completes the circuit, moving electrons through the wire.

7. Begin to use your electromagnet. Pick up the other nail using your new electromagnet. Drop the nail you picked up by breaking the circuit (unhook one end of the wire from the terminals).

Tips & Warnings

• Don't touch the wire wrapped nail when the circuit is completed, because the nail will be hot.