KS4 Electricity Electromagnetism

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What is a magnetic field?

Where would you find a magnetic field?

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Magnetic field
Around every magnet is an invisible force field that will affect all magnetic objects inside it. The magnetic field of a bar magnet is seen with iron filings.

strongest field at poles

What does the magnetic field around a bar magnet look like? Where is the magnetic field strongest?
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What materials will stick to magnets?

Look around the laboratory or your teacher will provide a tray.

See which materials will stick to a magnet and which materials will not.

Magnetic materials

Non-magnetic materials

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Magnets and materials

What materials are magnets made from? Iron or steel.

What materials will magnets stick to?

Iron or steel. And nickel!

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Forces between magnets experiment

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Repulsion and attraction

Repel/attract

Repel/attract

Repel/attract Unlike poles attract.

Like poles repel.

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Separating coins
How could you separate steel and gold coins using a magnet?

Steel coins would stick to magnet, gold coins would be left behind.

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What does the magnetic field for a bar magnet look like?

In what direction do magnetic field linesS N North to South point?

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Revising magnetism I
Iron or steel Magnets are made from which materials? ___________ What are the ends of a magnet called?

The Poles __________

What do we call the area around a magnet where a magnetic force exists? The Magnetic Field __________________ Pull together __________

What does the word attract mean?

Push apart What does the word repel mean? __________

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Revising magnetism II
Repel What will two north poles do if brought together? _____ Repel What will two south poles do if brought together? ______ What will a north and a south pole do if brought together? Attract _______

Iron and steel What materials are attracted by magnets? ___________

Non-contact Is magnetism a contact or non-contact force? _________

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Electromagnets
A coil of wire acts like a bar magnet when it has an electric current flowing through it.

One end of the coil becomes a north-seeking pole. One end of the coil becomes a south seeking pole. This is called an electromagnet.
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Making an electromagnet: Apparatus:

Batteries Wire Iron Nail

What to do:
1. Wrap a coil of wire around the iron nail.

2. Connect the coil of wire to the batteries.

3. See how many paperclips you can pick up.
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Results
How many paperclips could you pick up? Can you think of any ways to make the electromagnet pick up more paperclips?

More batteries (more current)

Number of paperclips

More turns of wire on the coil

Number of paperclips

Number of batteries

Number of turns

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Electromagnetic strength experiment

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Electromagnetic strength - results

The results for the number of drawing pins attracted to the electromagnet with no core are:
number of cells number of coils

1
2 4 6

2
4 8 12

3
6 12 18

4 8 12

How does changing the current affect the strength of an electromagnet? How does changing the number of coils affect the strength of an electromagnet?
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Electromagnetic strength - results

Compare the results for the number of drawing pins attracted to the electromagnet with no core and an iron core:

number of cells number of coils

1 2 4 6

2 4 8 12

3 6 12 18

number of cells number of coils

1 6 8 10

2 8 12 16

3 10 16 22

4 8 12

4 8 12

What effect does an iron core have on the strength of an electromagnet?

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Electromagnetic strength - results

Compare the results for the number of drawing pins attracted to the electromagnet with no core and a copper core:

number of cells number of coils

1 2 4 6

2 4 8 12

3 6 12 18

number of cells number of coils

1 2 4 6

2 4 8 12

3 6 12 18

4 8 12

4 8 12

What effect does a copper core have on the strength of an electromagnet?

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Ways to make an electromagnet stronger

There are three ways to make an electromagnet stronger. Do you know them? More turns on the coil 1. ___________________

More electrical current 2. ___________________

3. ___________________ Using an iron core S N

What happens if you turn the battery around in an electromagnet? The poles on the coil reverse, north becomes south and south becomes north.

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What do like poles do?

A. Attract and repel B. Attract C. Repel

D. Stick together

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Which material below will not stick to a magnet?

A. Steel paper clip B. Aluminium can C. Iron nail D. Steel key

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Which of the below will not increase the strength of an electromagnet?

A. More coils B. More current C. Less current D. Iron core

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In which direction do magnetic field lines always point?

A. East to west B. West to east C. South to north D. North to south

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Which of the following is not a use of electromagnets?

A. Fridge magnets B. Loud speakers C. Relays D. Circuit breakers

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