How Does An Electromagnet Work? 4. Try it and record your observations. The electromagnet still works (temporarily) when one wire is disconnected. 5. Where is the electromagnet the strongest? The poles

6. What can you infer about the poles at the ends of the nails? The poles are oppositely charged, North and South on an electromagnet. 7. Predict what will happen if you reverse the connections to the battery and repeat step #6. Reversing the direction of the current flow reverses the polarity of the electromagnet

The strength of the magnet increases. 8. Remove the coil. Experiment to compare the magnetic strength of the empty coil with that of the coil containing the nail. An empty coil of current carrying wire is a magnet, but it is not as strong. The current carrying wire creates the magnetic field. 9. Predict what will happen to the strength of the electromagnet if two nails are placed inside the coil of wire. The strength of the magnet increases.

10. Hypothesis ways to increase the strength of your electromagnet. 11. Increase the number of coils or using two batteries can increase the strength. 12. What are some advantage that an electromagnet has over a regular magnet? It can be turned on and off, the polarity can be reversed, and the strength can be increased or decreased.

13. Apply what you have learned to think of at least one special use for an electromagnet. It could sort through metallic versus non- metallic items. Since it can be turned on and off , it can pick things up and release them.