How to Build a Simple Electromagnet
Electromagnets are used in all sorts of machines, from door bells to giant scrap yard cranes. You can build a simple electromagnet that works exactly the same way the ones in machines do.
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Things You'll Need
- Large nail
- Insulated bell wire
- Wire stripper
- 6-V lantern battery
- Paper clips or other metal objects
Instructions
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1
Cut a piece of insulated wire about two feet long.
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2
Strip one inch of insulation off each end of the wire.
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3
Wrap the wire tightly around the nail, leaving a few inches of wire hanging off at each end of the nail.
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4
Connect each end of the wire to a battery terminal. (You might want to fasten one end and leave the other end free to come on and off the terminal easily. You can use the free end as a sort of "switch" with which to turn the electromagnet on and off.)
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5
Test the nail to see that it is now magnetic. Use it to pick up some paper clips or other small metal objects.
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6
Disconnect one end of the wire and check to see if the nail is still magnetic. It should have returned to its normal state and not be magnetic anymore. If you reconnect the wires to the battery, the nail will become magnetic again.
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Tips & Warnings
If your electromagnet doesn't seem to work, test the iron content of the nail. Touch the nail to a magnet to see if it sticks. If it doesn't, choose a nail that does.
