Download science stations study guide/lesson 4 magnets and electricity, power

Vocabulary: magnet, magnetic poles, magnetic field,
electromagnet, alternating current, generator, electric cell, battery
Magnetism and electricity are both forms of energy.
Describe how to make an electromagnet. (To make an electromagnet, you will need some insulated
wire, something to use as an iron core (a nail) and a source of electric current (like an electric cell
(battery)). The wire needs to be wrapped around the iron core. Then connect the ends of the wire to the
electric power source. When current is flowing through the wire, the coil and the iron core will become
an electromagnet).
What are two ways you could increase the strength of the electromagnet you just described?
(One way to increase the strength of an electromagnet is to increase the number of loops of wire around
the iron core (nail). Another way to increase the strength is to increase the amount of current in the
circuit. For example, if you used one electrical cell to create the electromagnet, you could add another
cell to the first one, connect in series.)
How could electromagnets be used to sort one type of material from another? (If you are trying to
separate material that contains iron or steel from material that does not contain iron or steel, you can
often separate the material with an electromagnet The magnet will pick up the material that contains
the iron or the steel, but will not pick up the other material. (Example sand has bits of iron in it. Stick a
magnet under a card with sand on top and the iron fillings will be pulled out.)
An advantage of using an electromagnet is that the magnetic “power” can be turned on and
off.
The type of electrical current that changes direction, flowing first one way and then the other
way is alternating current. A device that is used to make the type o electrical energy that is
used in our homes and schools is a generator. When you place copper and zinc strips in
vinegar, you create a simple electrical cell. Jan has made a machine that moves a magnet back
and forth inside a coil or wires. She has made a simple generator. (choices: current detector,
generator, cell, battery)
Which of the following groups of materials could be used to create a simple electrical cell?
a. A magnet and a coil of wire, b. a rubber comb and a piece of wool cloth, c. a lemon, a
piece of hard plastic, and two magnets, d. vinegar and two nails made of different
metals. (answer is d)
The electrical current that comes into people’s houses is normally produced by_____.
a. Spinning an electromagnet within a coil of wire, b. rubbing a powerful magnet to
produce a static electric charge, c. hooking up several powerful batteries in series., d.
hooking up several powerful batteries in parallel. (answer is a)
Making It Stick – Magnetism Study Guide
Name ____________________________________________________ Date ______________________
In some ways, the north and south poles of a magnet act like objects that have a positive or negative
static electric charge; the same poles (N-N or S-S) push away from each other just as object with the
same static electric charge push away from each other. Also the opposite poles of a magnet pull toward
each other just like objects that have opposite static electric charges. They are alike in that both
magnetism and static electricity are forces that can make things move without touching them. They are
differ in that static electricity seems to be able to act on almost any object, but magnetism only seems
to act on things that contain iron or a few other materials. Also, objects that have static electric charges
2ill lose their charges when they come in contact with other objects. Magnets don’t lose their
magnetism by coming in contact with other objects.
Sailors were able to use a magnet as a compass to tell direction. Sailors were no longer dependent upon
just the sun and stars. Sailors could find their way on a cloudy or foggy day or night.
The pull of a bar magnet is strongest around the poles.
The drawing at the right shows a bar magnet. What do the curved lines show? (the shape of the
magnetic field).
N
S
S
A
N
S
N
S
N
B
S
N
N
S
C
Which sets of magnets will push each other away? (Both A and C)
Which sets of magnets will pull toward each other? (B) (Opposites attract)
What does a compass enable a person to do? (A compass enables a person to find direction. When the
needle inside the compass spins free, it lines up with Earth’s magnetic field. Geographic North Pole is
not the same spot as the magnetic north pole.
SCIENCE STATIONS STUDY GUIDE/LESSON 4
MAGNETS AND ELECTRICITY, POWER UP
Station 1: Read the book and prepare the vocabulary
study guide.
Station 2: Explore magnetism. Understand magnet
fields. Understand some things are attracted to magnets
and some aren’t.
Station 3: Electricity game with skill cards to review all
electricity unit.
Station 4: Build it! – Build a wet cell battery. Review
series and parallel, conductors and insulators.
Station 5: Activity – Build an electromagnet.
Each station teaches topics and included something
students bring home to help them study. Remember
links to help you study and learn about electricity are on
my web page.
Test: Week of