11
Lesson 11 of 84 · Forces
ExperimentMagnets: Attract and Repel
What You'll Learn
Magnets have north and south poles. Opposite poles attract and like poles repel. The magnetic field is strongest at the poles and gets weaker with distance.
Key Words
- force
- Newton
Materials Needed
- cardboard
- marbles
- paper clips
- rubber bands
- blocks
Safety First
- Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.
- Adult supervision recommended.
Steps
Step 1 — Read
Read about Forces and write down three key facts.
Step 2 — Do
Build an electromagnet by wrapping insulated wire around a nail and connecting it to a battery. Test how many paper clips it can pick up. Try adding more wire coils.
Step 3 — Observe
Look for patterns in your observations.
Step 4 — Record
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What happens when like magnetic poles are brought together?