Name______________________
Exploring Magnetic Fields
VERY IMPORTANT:
-BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE IRON FILINGS!
- WORK SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY!
- DO NOT BLOW THEM IN YOUR EYES!
- DO NOT EAT THEM!
Questions:
What is a magnet?:
What are “magnetic properties”?:
What are the two poles of a magnet called?:
What are magnetic fields?:
Procedure:
1.
Place the magnet in the plastic
bag.
2.
Place the covered magnets in the
plastic tray.
3.
Place the paper on top of the
magnet.
4.
CAREFULLY sprinkle some iron
fillings on the paper.
5.
The pattern you see shows the
lines of force from the magnet.
Draw them in the box below:
MAGNET
6.
Pour your iron filings back in
the container they came in.
7.
See Mr. McCann to get another
magnet.
8.
Place the second magnet in the
plastic bag along with the first
one.
9.
You should now have 2 covered
magnets.
10. Place the covered magnets about
an inch apart in the plastic tray
like the picture below:
MAGNET
MAGNET
11. Place a piece of paper on top of
the magnets.
12. CAREFULLY sprinkle some iron
fillings on the paper.
13. Draw the lines magnetic force in
the picture below:
MAGNET
MAGNET
14. Are the magnetic poles alike or
different?_________________________
15.
Why?____________________________
16. Pour your iron filings back in
the container they came in.
17. Rotate ONE of the magnets so its
poles are switched.
18. The covered magnets should still
be in the tray about an inch apart
in the plastic tray like the picture
below:
MAGNET
MAGNET
19. Place a piece of paper on top of
the magnets.
20. CAREFULLY sprinkle some iron
fillings on the paper.
21. Draw the lines magnetic force in
the picture below:
MAGNET
MAGNET
22. Why is your diagram different
than before?
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23.
Get a compass from Mr. McCann
24. In the Northern Hemisphere, the
needle of a compass will point to
the magnetic north because it is
magnetized. When a compass is held
on the earth, the earth’s magnetic
field exerts a force on the needle.
25. Place your compass near one of
the magnets.
26. What happens to the needle on the
compass?
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27. Why?
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28. Return your equipment to Mr.
McCann and clean up your area.
29. Sunspots also have magnetic
fields, and they look a lot like the
kind you see with a bar magnet.
This view came from the NASA
website; and shows very hot gasses
flowing along the lines of
magnetism. How does the pattern
compare to the iron filings near a
bar magnet?
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