Lesson 11 of 84 · Forces
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabMagnets: Attract and Repel
Magnets: Attract and Repel.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.
Mind = Blown
⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: where does the energy go?
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
Read about Forces and write down three key facts.
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.
Look for patterns in your observations.
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What happens when like magnetic poles are brought together?
Where you see this in real life
You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
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Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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