SCIE-6661S-1 Exploring the Physical World---Week 3 Scientific Inquiry on Electromagnetism:

 

When researching methods of creating an electromagnet there were several variables to consider and test.  Electromagnets can be turned on and off by using a battery as the source of electrons. By connecting a wire to the battery you create a flow of electrons through the wire, there must be a complete circuit for the electrons to flow. In doing this you cause the electrons to behave like a magnet when they flow through the wire, creating a magnetic field.  Every electric charge is surrounded by an electric field.  If the charge is moving, it is surrounded by an electric field and a magnetic field (Tillery, Enger, & Ross, 2008).   

In my design I chose to test two different variables that could increase the electromagnetic flow of my magnet.  My first variable tested was how the amount of coils in the wire affects the strength of the magnet.  I believe that if I increase the number of coils then the magnet will be stronger.  I began my experiment by creating the magnet without any coils in the wire and recording the amount of paperclips collected.  I chose to add five coils at a time, with a maximum of twenty, and test each addition of coils three times.  I found that as I increased the amount of coils in the wire the magnetism increased.  With each addition of five coils in the wire the amount of paperclips attracted increased.

With my first variable tested and the data recorded I moved on to my next variable.  In my next experimental design I tested the gage of the wire and its effects on the strength of the magnet.  I believe that if I increase the gage of the wire then the magnetism will decrease.  Using the two different gauges of wire provided in our kits I created the first magnet with the thinner gauged wire.  During the three trials for the thin gauged wire the paperclips collected by the magnet were consistent, picking up five paperclips each time.  After changing to the thicker gauged wire and conducting the experiment again I noticed that the paper clips attracted to the magnet were inconsistent but approximately the same.  The amount of paper clips attracted to the magnet with the thicker gauge wire ranged from four to five at a time.  I concluded that the gauge of the wire had very little to no effect on the strength of my magnet.

As I read up on magnetism in our course text and prepared and then executed my experiment I was reminded of why we allow students to design their own procedure and why we provide procedure.  I some cases students have no experience with the materials they are testing, in other cases they have had exposure.  Most students have had exposure to magnetism at an early age. I do not know many, if any, children that have not enjoyed playing with magnets at some point in their youth.  If I were to conduct this experiment with my students they would ultimately ask why we would need to try to increase the magnetism so many different ways.  I would remind them that different designs are used for different applications (Tillery, Enger, & Ross, 2008).  Our job, as scientists, is to investigate all the possibilities and find the results.      

 

References

Tillery, B. W., Enger, E. D., & Ross, F. C. (2008). Integrated science (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill