
Wire Current and Compass Deflection
Easy
Does electricity flowing through a wire create a magnetic field? A compass needle is a small magnet that responds to nearby magnetic forces. You can use one to detect the field around a current-carrying wire.
Place a compass flat on a table. Strip the ends of a piece of thin copper wire. Hold the wire close to the compass. Briefly touch the wire ends to the battery terminals.
The compass needle swings away from north. The flowing electrons create a magnetic field around the wire. That field pushes on the magnetized needle. Remove the wire from the battery and the needle returns to north.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the strength of an electromagnet is affected by the flow of electricity.
Method & Materials
You will connect a wire between the positive and negative ends of a battery and observe how the compass needle swings.
You will need one AA, C or D-cell battery, a piece of wire, and a compass.
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See what’s includedResults
When the wire is connected to the battery, the compass needle swings because the needle is a small magnet that is sensitive to small magnetic fields. This shows that the strength of an electromagnet is affected by the flow of electricity.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it demonstrates how the strength of an electromagnet is affected by the flow of electricity in a simple and fun way.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include using different types of batteries and different lengths of wire.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related video
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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