Download #2 What Can Magnets Do

Name __________________________________
All life needs energy. Without energy, nothing would happen,
anywhere, at any time. Energy is involved in every movement in the
universe, from the whirling of a huge galaxy to the tiny vibrations of an
atom. Energy fuels the stars and keeps them shining brightly. Down on
Earth, energy lights our cities. It powers cars, trains, planes, and boats. It
keeps factories going. It makes plants grow and fruit ripen. It keeps
homes warm, and cooks food. It makes music, pictures on the
television, and moving games on a computer. Every living body from
bacteria to humans is kept going by energy.
Energy Vocabulary
Armature:
The rotating part of a motor that has electromagnets.
Attract:
To draw to or toward itself.
Compass:
A device that determines the presence of a magnetic field and its direction.
Controlled
Experiment:
A scientific investigation in which one variable is changed and all the others
are kept the same, or constant.
Data:
Information, such as that gathered during an experiment.
Electric circuit:
A system that connects electrical components so that they will operate.
Electric current:
A flow of electric charge through something.
Electromagnet:
A temporary magnet formed when an iron core that is surrounded by coil of wire. When an electric
current passes through the coils, the core becomes a magnet.
Energy:
The capacity for doing work and overcoming resistance.
Force field:
An invisible field of energy surrounding an object such as a magnet or an electromagnet.
Insulator:
A material which resists the flow of electrons. Rubber, air, wood, and plastic are insulators.
Magnet:
An object made of iron, nickel, or cobalt or a combination of these materials and that has the ability
to attract or repel other magnetic materials.
Motor:
A device which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy usually through the rotation of an
electromagnet.
Nonrenewable
Resources
Resources, such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which are produced by nature
and cannot be replaced quickly enough to meet people’s needs.
Permanent magnet:
A magnet that does not lose its ability to attract iron, nickel, and cobalt as time passes.
Renewable Resources
Resources, such as wind, sunlight, trees, food, and fresh water, which nature can quickly
produce again and again. If we are careful, we will not run out of these resources.
Repel:
To push away; the opposite of attract.
Variable:
An element in an experiment that can be changed.
What is Energy?
video
1.
What is energy? __________________________________________________________________________________
2.
What is work? ___________________________________________________________________
3.
Any time we do work, we use ______________________________________________________________
4.
We use energy to: ________________________________________________________________
5.
The ___________________________________________________________ is the biggest source of energy on Earth.
6.
Heat energy can be used to: _____________________________________________________________________________
7.
Heat energy always moves from ____________________________________ things to ________________________ things.
(That’s why ice cubes melt in our warm hands.)
8.
Heat energy comes from the motion of _____________________________________.
9.
____________________________ energy is the energy that is stored in a substance.
10. The ____________________________________________________ energy is stored in green plants as chemical energy.
11. When animals eat plants, that ____________________________________ is released and enables them to grow or do work.
12. Burning fuels like wood, oil and gasoline releases their stored _________________________ energy.
13. Mechanical energy comes from ________________________________________________.
14. Everything that moves has ______________________________________________________ energy.
15. Moving objects require __________________________________________________ to move and to affect other things.
16. Flowing water, blowing wind, falling rocks, cars speeding along a highway, machines turning and working, and even people
moving are all examples of _______________________ energy in action.
17. Electromagnetic energy comes from ________________________, _____________________, and X-rays, light, color, radio
waves, and microwaves.
18. Electricity can be used to make __________________, and magnets can be used to make ____________________________.
19. _________________________________________________ energy is the most powerful from of energy.
20. When atoms are forced to split apart or come together, a tremendous amount of ___________________________ is released.
21. The sun and stars are bright and powerful because they are constantly producing _____________________________ energy.
22. People use nuclear energy to generate (make) _________________________________.
23. _______________________ are the tiny particles that make up everything around us. These particles are constantly moving.
24. We use ___________________________ to do everything!
Natural Resources
All the things that keep you alive and make you comfortable come from natural resources. There are two basic
kinds of natural resources. One kind is energy resources, such as fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal),
geothermal and solar energy. The other kind is material resources, such as air, water, soil, wood, minerals, plants,
and animals.
The environment holds only a certain amount of some resources. When they are used up, nature cannot replace
them quickly enough to meet people’s needs. These are called nonrenewable resources. Coal, petroleum, and
natural gas are nonrenewable resources. Most of the coal burned in the world is used to generate electricity.
Nature can produce other resources again and again. These are called renewable resources. Renewable resources
include trees, crops, wind, sunlight, and water.
Energy Sources
We use energy for many purposes. Trucks rumble down highways,
carrying all sorts of products from one place to another. Buses,
cars, trains, and ships move people. We need energy to keep all
these vehicles moving.
Lights blaze in homes, factories, schools, and office buildings.
We use energy to keep these lights on. We tune into television
and radio programs and speak to people on telephones. Energy
makes this possible. Factories use energy to run machines that
make products such as cement, steel, toys, and clothing.
People use energy from many different sources. For example,
for thousands of years, people have used the energy stored in
wood and coal to heat their homes and cook their food. Today,
we use the energy in fuels like coal, flowing water, and wind
to produce the electricity that powers our lights, furnaces,
and machines.
In science, the word energy has a special meaning. Energy is the ability to do work, like getting something to
move. And work has a special meaning in science, too. It doesn’t mean cleaning your room or mowing the lawn. In
science, work is done when a force moves an object. Energy doesn’t have mass or take up space and it isn’t a
material in nature. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. If something gains energy, that energy came from
something else that lost the same amount of energy. Energy can cause motion. Energy can also cause changes in matter.
Heat energy deep below Earth’s
surface makes a volcano erupt.
The eruption can throw lava, rocks,
and ash high into the air.
People use electrical energy
to start car engines, and
light buildings and streets.
We burn coal to produce
electricity.
Plants use the energy in sunlight
to change carbon dioxide gas
and water into a simple sugar for
food. This is called photosynthesis.
There are different forms of energy. These forms are all around you. There is heat, light, sound, electrical,
chemical, nuclear, and mechanical forms of energy. Energy can change from one form to another; this is called
energy transformation. Remember…energy cannot be created or destroyed.
Forms of Energy
Examples
_________________
Sound from a radio, TV, thunder, or someone’s voice.
_________________
Light from a light bulb, the stars, lightning in the sky, or a computer screen.
_________________
Heat form an oven, a toaster, or the sun. Heat from your body.
_________________
Energy stored in the food you eat. Energy stored in fuels like wood or gasoline.
_________________
Kinetic energy is energy in motion. A bowling ball rolling down the alley.
Potential energy is stored energy. A boulder at the top of a hill has more
potential energy than a pebble halfway down the hill.
__________________
Electricity from a power plant, or a car battery, or a dry cell in a flashlight
__________________
Energy used to generate electricity in a nuclear power plant.
Energy used to kill cancer cells.
Name the energy.
1. The energy stored in the nucleus of an atom. __________________________
2. The energy from a power plant or the movement of electrons. ________________________
3. The energy found deep inside the Earth. ___________________________
4. The energy found in the foods you eat or inside a battery. _________________________
5. The energy held back with a dam. _______________________________
6. The energy made from moving air. __________________________________
7. The energy produced from the stars, a lamp, or a computer screen. _________________________
8. The energy made from your body, the sun, or an electric blanket. ____________________________
9. Vibrations produce this energy…your voice, thunder or noise from TV. _________________________
Fill in the blank.
10. Energy in motion is called _________________________ energy. (A skier moving down the hill.)
11. Energy that is stored is called ______________________ energy. (A skier waiting at the top of the hill)
12. Energy is the ability to do _________________________________
13. These resources can be replaced quickly by nature. _________________________________
14. It can take nature thousands of years to replace these resources. _____________________________
15. Give examples of renewable resources: _________________________________________________
16. Give examples of nonrenewable resources: ______________________________________________
17. Name the fossil fuel that is refined to make gasoline. ____________________________________
18. Electricity is the movement of ______________________________________
Electricity and Magnetism
Flip a switch, and the lights go on in your room. Press a button on a remote control, and your TV springs
to life. A heater and a bubbler keep the fish in your aquarium healthy. Turn a control knob, and a model
train races around a track. None of these things would be possible without electricity and magnetism.
Magnetism and electricity are related to each other. You can use one to produce the other. Electric
generators use magnetism to produce electricity. Motors of all kinds use electricity to produce
magnetism that makes the motor go. Magnetism and electricity are both caused by charged particles
called electrons.
If you were in the northeastern part of the United States on August 14, 2003, you learned how important
electricity is to you. A huge blackout happened that night. People from Michigan to New England had
no electricity for hours. But what exactly was it that they didn’t have? What is electricity?
Electricity is a form of energy that is produced when electrons move from one place to another place.
What makes electrons move is the charges that different particles have.
Charged Particles
Atoms are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Neutrons have no charge. Electrons have a
negative charge. Protons have a positive charge.
Like charges repel, or push against, each other. Unlike charges attract, or pull on, each other. Electrons
repel other electrons, but they are attracted to protons. Protons repel other protons, but they are
attracted to electrons.
These forces of attraction and repulsion make electrons move away from areas with a negative charge
and toward areas with a positive charge. This movement of electrons is electricity.
When the circuit is complete, electricity flows
through the coil. This movement of electrons
created a magnetic field. The magnetic field
affected the magnet, causing it to spin and
change its pointing direction. When the poles
of the battery are switched, the current flows in
the opposite direction. In response, the magnet
turns and points in the opposite direction.
Try it …How can you detect a magnetic force field in an electrical circuit?
1. Attach a 60cm piece of bare copper wire to the negative and positive poles of
a battery.
2. Suspend a magnet from the edge of a table by a thread, use tape to mark the
North pole of the magnet.
3. Connect the circuit, and then hold the wire of the circuit close to, but not
touching the rubberized magnet.
 How did the wire affect the suspended magnet?
 What pole of the magnet is facing the wire? ________________
 Turn the battery upside down. Now which pole of the magnet is facing the
wire? _____________
 Why did the poles of the magnet reverse when you turned the battery
upside down?
 What happens to the magnet if you quickly and repeatedly reverse the
poles of the battery?
The Atom
How many pieces can you divide a pure substance into? You can divide it until you just have one atom
of it. An atom is the smallest particle of a substance that has all the properties of the substance.
Everything around us is made of atoms. An element is a pure substance made of only one kind of atom.
Gold is an element. Gold is made of atoms of gold. All gold atoms are alike. All gold atoms have the
same properties. Silver is made of atoms of silver. All silver atoms are alike. They are not like gold atoms
or the atoms of any other substance.
There are about 115 known elements on Earth and in the universe. Of these, 94 elements occur naturally
on Earth, on other planets, and in the stars. Scientists in laboratories have made the other elements.
 Atoms are very tiny
They are tinier than the cells in your body
 They are tinier than germs
They are too small to be seen with ordinary microscopes


It would take about 100 million of the smallest
atoms laid end-to-end to stretch across your thumbnail!
Parts of an Atom
So what are atoms made of? In the middle of each atom is a “nucleus.” The nucleus contains two kinds
of tiny particles, called protons and neutrons. Orbiting around the nucleus are even smaller particles
called electrons. The 115 kinds of atoms are different from each other because they have different
numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
It is useful to think of a model of the atom as similar to the solar system. The nucleus is in the center of the
atom, like the sun in the center of the solar system. The electrons orbit around the nucleus like the
planets around the sun.
Everything is made up of atoms, and atoms are made of tiny particles, some of which are electrically
charged. Most atoms are electrically neutral; the positive charges (protons in the nucleus or center of
the atom) cancel out the negative charges (electrons that surround the nucleus in clouds). Opposite
charges attract one another. Similar charges repel or push away one another.
An atom is made up of still smaller parts. These parts determine what the atom is, its mass, and how it
behaves. The parts are protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are packed together in
the atom’s center, called the nucleus. Electrons are in the space outside the nucleus. All protons,
neutrons, and electrons are the same, no matter what kind of atom they are in.
Energy – Bill Nye
1. It’s what makes something go or happen, that’s the job of _________________________________
2. Name several forms of energy: _______________________________________________________
2. Energy that is stored is called ____________________________ energy. (holding a ball)
3. Energy that is moving is called ____________________________ energy. (the ball rolling across the floor)
Energy can be changed, transformed, from one form to another.
The chemical energy stored in a battery can be transferred to mechanical energy to make a remote control car go.
(electrical, sound, heat, chemical, light, mechanical)
5. Falling water, kinetic energy, can be changed into _________________________ energy to supply our homes
and schools with electricity.
6. ______________________ energy in gasoline can be converted to _________________________ energy to
make the wheels of the car move.
7. ______________________ energy in a power cord can be transformed in ____________________ energy of a
lamp.
8. Energy stored in wood, _____________________ energy, can be transformed into ____________________ and
_________________________ energy when it is burned.
9. ______________________ energy in a battery can be converted to ____________________ energy to listen to
music on your i-Pod.
10. Nuclear power comes from the nucleus of a _______________________________ atom.
11. Most of our electricity comes from the heat released from burning this fossil fuel called _______________.
12. ___________________________ resources are resources that nature can produce quickly, again and again.
13. _____________________________________resources are resources that nature cannot replace quickly; these
resources must be CONSERVED!
14. Name three renewable energy resources: ____________________________________________________
15. Name three nonrenewable energy resources: _________________________________________________
16. Most of the fuels we use today were formed from the decayed remains of ancient plants and animals; they are
called fossil fuels. It takes millions of years for these fuels to form. They are nonrenewable resources. Name three
fossil fuels:
_________________________________________________________________________
What Can Magnets Do?
Materials:
 2 flexible magnets
 1 wooden stick
 1 piece of string, 30 cm long
 1 plastic cup and lid
Work with the magnets, a stick, string, and cup. Try to discover many different things that magnets can do. As you work,
think about what you are discovering.
Illustrate what you have discovered about magnets below.
A magnet is a material that attracts certain metals. The invisible force of attraction is called magnetism. It is named
after the magnetic rock called lodestone or magnetite. This rock has been known about for over two thousand
years. Magnets have fascinated people ever since they were found.
Look around you and spot how many things have magnets in them. What are some possible uses of magnets? How
are magnets used in your house and at school?
Magnets and Magnetic Materials
Many of the objects around you are made of magnetic materials. Magnets stick to some things, but not to
others. Sometimes, they push away and other times they “stick together.”
Vocabulary: attract
classify
data
hypothesis
repel
__________________ A prediction about how something works or how two variables are related.
___________________ To draw to or toward itself, ___________________ poles of a magnet.
___________________ To put things together because they share one or more properties.
___________________ To push away; ____________________ poles of a magnet.
___________________ Information gathered during an investigation or experiment.
Test each of the materials given to you for their magnetic properties.
Record your data on the chart below.
Classify
Materials Tested
Material Tested
Prediction
Magnetic
Not Magnetic
Non-Magnetic Materials
(yes or no)
****************************************************************
Steel nail
________
________
__________
______________________
Wood Stick
________
________
__________
______________________
Aluminum Nail
________
________
__________
______________________
Magnetite
________
________
__________
______________________
Copper Wire
________
________
__________
______________________
Brass Fitting
________
________
__________
_______________________
Rubber Band
________
________
__________
Plastic Straw
________
________
__________
Magnetic Materials
Aluminum Can
________
________
__________
______________________
Penny Coin
________
________
__________
______________________
Crayon
________
________
___________
______________________
Twist tie
________
________
___________
______________________
Paper Q-tip
________
________
___________
Graphite
________
________
____________
A magnet is a material that attracts certain metals. The invisible force of attraction is called magnetism. It is named
after the magnetic rock called lodestone or magnetite. This rock has been known about for over two thousand
years. Magnets have fascinated people ever since they were found.
Magnets and Magnetic Materials Continued…
1. How do you tell the difference between a magnet and something that is made of a magnetic
material? A magnet can ____________________ magnetic materials. Magnetic materials do not
_____________________ other magnetic materials.
2. Are all metals attracted to a magnet? _______________
3. Magnets will only attract and pick up objects made of materials that contain __________________,
_______________________, or _______________________
Magnets in Action
A magnet produces a force around it. The area around a magnet where the force of magnetism can be felt is called
a magnetic field. A magnetic field is invisible, but you can see its effects. Lay a transparency over two bar
magnets and sprinkle iron filings over the paper. The filings will form a pattern of lines. These lines are called the
magnetic lines of force. The lines of force are bunched closer together at the magnet’s poles. This shows that the
magnetic field is strongest at the poles.
Magnetic materials can be made into magnets. An iron nail is made of atoms. Each iron atom acts like a tiny
magnet. It has a north pole and a south pole. But most of the time, the nail’s atoms are not lined up with each other.
Their poles point in all different directions. The whole nail doesn’t act like a magnet.
Stroking the nail with a magnet makes all the iron atoms line up with each other. All their north poles point in one
direction and the south poles in the opposite direction. The nail has been temporarily magnetized. You are not
rubbing the magnetism onto the nail; you are lining up the atoms in the nail so that it has a north and a south pole;
making it a magnet.
Can magnetism be rubbed onto other objects? ___________________
Why does the steel shaft of a screwdriver become temporarily magnetized when you rub it with a magnet?
a. You rubbed the magnetism off of the magnet and onto the shaft of the screw driver
b. All the atoms in the steel shaft lined up so that the north poles pointed in one direction.
Magnetism with Bill Nye - Video
1. How many poles does a magnet have? __________________
2. Is magnetism invisible? _______________
3. All magnets are surrounded by invisible lines of force called:
_______________________________________________
4. Name 3 magnetic materials: __________________________________________________
5. Magnetism comes from moving __________________________
6. What do we call moving electrons? ____________________________________
7. An electromagnet can be made with 3 things: _____________________________,
_____________________________, _______________________________________
8. An electromagnet is a temporary magnet because you can turn it __________________ and
______________________.
9. What materials can be made into a temporary magnet: ______________________________
10. Earth’s magnetic field is produced the movement of Earth’s outer core which is made of
___________________________ & ____________________________
11. Two magnets will interact with each other. Like poles (NN / SS) will __________________
and unlike or opposite poles (NS / SN) will _____________________________.
12. Where are magnets the strongest? ________________________________
13. A compass interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field because a compass is a lightweight
__________________________.
14. The red end or arrow of a compass will attract the ________________ end of a magnet.
15. Whenever electricity is flowing, a ________________________________ field forms.
16. Electricity is moving ___________________________________
Atoms, Atoms Everywhere!
All matter, everything, is made up of atoms. Atoms are the tiny particles,
which make up matter... much too tiny to see, even in a microscope. A
table, the air, even you are made up of atoms! Atoms are made out of
three basic particles: protons carry a positive charge, neutrons carry no
charge (they join together to form the Nucleus or center part of the atom),
and electrons carry a negative charge and orbit the nucleus. Remember,
opposites charges attract and like charges repel.
Static Electricity
What happens when you walk across a rug without shoes on and reach for a metal doorknob? You get a shock! When you
walk across the carpet, electrons move from the rug to you. You now have extra electrons and are electrically charged! The
doorknob, which is made of metal, is a conductor and when you touch it electrons move from you to the doorknob and you
get a shock. Sparks are an extreme case of electrons being attracted to an object that has a positive charge.
Static electricity is the buildup of electric charges on an object. This happens when electrons move from one object to another
object and stick on the second object. For example, when you rub a balloon on your hair, you rub electrons off your hair and
onto the balloon. Your hair has lost electrons. Now it has more protons than electrons, so it has a positive charge. Each of
your hairs has a positive charge so they repel each and stand up as they are pushed away from other hairs. The balloon has
gained electrons, so now it has a negative charge. The total number of electrons hasn’t changed. Some have just moved from
one place to another place.
Attach a string to a Styrofoam plate; suspend it in your room. Now rub the plate on your hair or a piece of wool (on a dry day
works best). Bring the North side of a magnet near the plate. What happens? Did the plate move toward the magnet? Rub the
plate again. This time bring the South end of the magnet near the plate. Did the plate move toward the magnet? The plate is
attracted to both sides of the magnet; therefore static electricity does not create a magnetic field. If it produced a magnetic
field then only one pole N or S would be attracted to the plate.
Does static electricity produce a magnetic force field? _________________
Rub the plate again. Bring a book or a glue stick or a wooden ruler or your hand near the plate. Did the plate move? Yes. Any
material brought near the plate, which has static electricity will attract the plate. Static electricity does not create a magnetic
field.
Extreme Static Electricity!
Lightning is a gigantic electric spark that leaps
from a negatively charged cloud to a positively
charged object on the ground. Did you know that
rubber shoes do nothing to protect you from
lightning? That talking on the telephone is the
leading cause of lightning injuries inside the
home? That standing under a tall tree is one of
the most dangerous places to take shelter?
Measuring the Strength of Magnets
Magnets are used in many, simple ways – to hold cabinet or refrigerator doors closed, for example. The magnet that holds a
door closed must be strong, but not too strong. How strong does the magnet need to be? How strong is too strong? Obviously,
someone had to do some experiments to find the answers to these questions.
Conducting a Controlled Experiment or a Fair Test – How Strong is a Magnet?
A “fair test” is like a fair race. Everything has to be the same for both runners. It would not be fair if one runner had to run in
mud while another runner ran on dry pavement. A fair test is another way of saying “controlled experiment.”
Set up the experiment; refer to page 8-9 in your student activity book. Record your data on the table below.
The Strength of Magnets
Number of Magnets
Prediction
Number of Washers Held
(Magnetic Strength)
____________
__________________
____________________
____________
__________________
____________________
____________
__________________
____________________
____________
__________________
____________________
____________
__________________
____________________
____________
__________________
____________________
Materials:
 6 flexible
magnets
 2 plastic cups
 1 craft stick
 small paper
clips (about 25)
 Activity Book
1. Analyze the data from the table above and then create a line graph.
2. Look at the data that you have collected. Talk with you partner about what you think you found out. Make
a generalization based on the data collected above. _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary:
analyze
controlled experiment
generalize
systematic
variable
A. _______________ An element in an experiment that can be changed. Ex. Using paper clips instead of washers
B. ________________ A scientific investigation in which one variable is changed and all the others are kept constant
C. ________________ To state a main idea learned in an investigation
D. ________________ Doing something in an orderly, organized, step-by-step manner
E. ________________ To study or examine
Let’s Review…
1.
Gasoline is made from this fossil fuel: ______________________________________________
2.
Energy found deep inside the Earth: _____________________________
3.
These fuels are formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. _____________________
4.
Name 3 renewable resources: _______________________________________________
5.
Name 3 nonrenewable resources: ____________________________________________
6.
Energy in motion (a person sledding down a hill) is called __________________________
7. Stored energy (a roller coaster at the top of a hill) is called _________________________
8.
Atoms are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons.
a. Electrons have a _________________ charge.
b. Neutrons have a _________________ charge.
c. Protons have a ________________ charge.
9. The “red” end or the arrow of a compass needle indicates this direction: ____________
10. When a magnet pushes another magnet away it is said the poles of the magnets are:
a. attracting
b. repelling
c. classfying
11. Magnetic materials are attracted to a magnet. The magnetic materials are: (circle)
copper
iron
aluminum
steel
gold
nickel
cobalt
silver
12. Can an iron nail attract a steel paper clip without doing anything special to the nail? _______
13. An invisible force of attraction is called:
a. magnetism
b. attraction
c. compass
14. The law of magnetic attraction: Like or same poles ( S-S or N-N) will _______________ and
opposite or unlike poles ( N-S or S-N) will __________________ each other.
15. The invisible field of energy that surrounds a magnet is called ____________________________________
16. Where is a magnet the strongest? ______________________________
17. Magnetism and electricity are both caused by charged particles called ___________________________.
18. This energy is produced by the movement of electrons: ________________________________
19. Electrical energy can be changed into other forms of energy:
a. Electrical energy changes to _____________________ energy when you turn on the stove.
b. Electrical energy changes to _____________________ energy when you turn on a radio.
c. Electrical energy changes to ________________________ energy when you turn on a lamp.
20. What are the parts of a circuit: (battery, switch, wire)
________________: starts and stops the flow of electrons through the circuit.
________________: The source of “push” for the electrons.
________________: This conducts the electricity. We use copper in our homes.
21. Name 3 conductors (allow electrons to move) of electricity:
a. ________________________________________
b. ______________________________________
c. ________________________________________
22. Name 3 insulators (stop the flow of electrons) of electricity:
a. ________________________________________
b. ________________________________________
c. ________________________________________
Properties of Matter Review
1. Anything that has mass and takes up space is called ____.
A. element
B. matter
C. property
D. volume
2. You can measure the amount of space an object takes up by finding the
A. volume
B. mass
C. substance
D. area
3. What are the states of matter?
A. Hot, warm, & cold
B. hard, soft, & mushy
C. solid, liquid, & gas
D. rain, sleet, & snow
4. Matter can be broken down into substances. A substance made of only one type of atom is called
A. a solid
B. a molecule
C. an element
D. a mixture
5. How did scientists group the elements? By …
A. their name
B. the date they were discovered
C. size
D. their properties
Building a Compass
We use magnets in many ways, but at one time, their only use was in compasses to guide explorers in unknown seas and
territories. Have you ever thought about what makes a compass point the way it does? How can a compass help you know
where you are going? Roughly speaking, the Earth acts as if it were one big magnet. That is why the magnets in compasses
(compass needles) and magnets hanging from strings align themselves the way they do. Compass needles point toward the
Earth’s magnetic poles, which are close to the geographic (rotational) poles. No one knows for certain what causes the
Earth’s magnetic field, but some scientists believe that the movement of the Earth’s outer core, which is made of molten iron
and nickel, creates Earth’s magnetic field.
Let’s build a compass!
Materials:
 2 flexible magnets
 1 plastic drinking straw
 2 pieces of #22 coated hook-up wire, 20 cm long
 1 straight pin
 1 plastic cup
 Activity Book
1. When you are building your compass, you will need to make adjustments to get the compass to balance. This kind of
adjustment is called troubleshooting. Be patient and adjust one thing at a time. Eventually, you will get your compass
to balance.
2. Follow the instructions for Building a Compass on pages 13 –16.
3. Your teacher will show you how to disassemble your compass for storage. You will use it again in later lessons.
Michael Faraday (1791-1867)
Michael Faraday lived in England his whole life. His family was poor, so when he was 12
years old, he left school to work for a bookbinder. He read all the science books that came
through the shop! Later, he wrote to a famous scientist asking for a job, and he got one.
That job got him started as a scientist. Faraday is best known for a discovery about
electricity and magnetism: Moving a wire through a magnetic field makes an electric
current flow in the wire. That discovery made it possible for others to figure out how to
produce and use electricity.
Using a Compass: Which Way is Which?
Let’s set up our straw compasses from the last lesson.
Don’t put your compass too close to another compass.
Materials:
 Straw Compass from the previous lesson
 1 Field Compass
 2 stickers
 1 flexible magnet
You have probably heard of the North and South poles of the Earth. Did you know they are a bit like the poles of a giant
magnet, and that Earth has its own magnetic field? At the center of the Earth there is an inner core of solid nickel and iron
and an outer core of molten nickel and iron. As you know, iron, nickel and cobalt are magnetic materials. Magnets will only
attract objects made of magnetic materials. It is because of this magnetism that a compass needle points North. Compasses
have a magnetized swinging needle that always points North. The red painted end or an arrow indicates North on a compass.
A compass is a device that determines the presence of a magnetic field and its direction.
The straw compasses that we built in the last lesson have two magnets, so they have two north and two south poles. Using a
compass we can find the north pole of each magnet. Set your compass on the table in front of you (don’t touch it) and don’t
put it too close to another compass or too close to a magnetic material. Do you know why?
1. Which pole of a magnet will be attracted to the North Pole of the compass? __________________
2. Which pole of a magnet will be attracted to the South Pole of the compass? __________________
3. Look at all of our straw compasses that we made in the last lesson. What do you notice about all of the compasses in the
classroom? They’re all pointing ________________________________________________________________.
4. Set the field compass in front of you, don’t touch it and don’t put it near a magnetic material or too close to another
compass. Allow the compass needle to “settle down.” Now bring the flexible magnet near, but not touching, the compass.
What happened? Move the magnet around the compass. What happened? ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Using a compass, let’s mark the north side, or “pole,” of each magnet with the colored stickers.
6. How did you find the North Pole of the extra magnet? The North Pole of the compass attracted the ___________ Pole of
the magnet. The Law of Magnetism: opposite poles _____________________ and like poles ___________________.
A compass is a handy tool for mapping out invisible magnetic fields. A compass needle is a tiny, lightweight magnet. It
reacts to both Earth’s magnetic field and to the fields of any nearby magnets. When it was placed close to the flexible
magnet, the needle rotated so that it aligned with the invisible field of the magnet.
7. Use the extra magnet to make the compass spin like a motor. Take turns and try to find as many different ways as you
can. How did you get the straw compass to turn like a motor? ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Can a hanging magnet act like a compass? ________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Current Electricity
Current electricity is controlled; the electrons all move in one direction. Wire can transmit electricity so it
becomes a very useful energy source. When its movement along a wire is controlled, it is current
electricity. Remember, electricity is a flow of electrons in one direction.
What is electricity?
Electricity is a form of energy produced by the movement of electrons. There are two kinds of electricity: static electricity
and current electricity. Static electricity is electrons being pulled from one source to another and doesn't move like current
electricity. Current electricity is the flow of electrons through a substance that conducts electricity such as copper wire. A
battery is a good example of a device that uses current electricity. Alternating current, also known as AC, is the kind of
electricity that comes into most homes from power stations.
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Movement of electrons
These forces of attraction and repulsion make electrons move away, repel, from areas with negative charges and
toward, attracted, to areas of positive charge.
A magnetic field is created when an electric current is moving through a circuit.
This magnetic field can interact with the magnetic field of a magnet to create an electromagnet.
How do we get it?
Power plants generate electricity. They use energy from one source, like moving water, to Electricity is generated in many
ways. Most commonly power companies generate electricity in nuclear power plants, fossil fuel plants (coal, oil, natural gas),
and hydroelectric power plants. Windmills can also generate electricity.
From the ground to your house.
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The coal is mined from the ground.
It is then refined.
The refined coal is transferred to a crusher.
The coal powder is moved to the boiler.
The powder is burnt.
The steam of the burnt coal moves the steam turbine.
The generator produces energy with an electromagnet.
The transformer "steps up" the voltage.
Cables carry the current to a substation.
The electricity goes to your fuse box.
Electricity from the fuse box powers your computer
Go with the flow – Insulators and Conductors
All materials resist, or work against, the flow of electrons. Some materials resist the flow of electrons more than
other materials do. It’s as if you tried to run through water and through air. You’d move more easily through air
than through water. The water would resist your movement more than the air would.
Materials that allow electricity to move through them easily are called conductors. Conductors are used when you
want electrons to move from one place to another. Do you think air will conduct electricity?
What’s happening? The bulb glows when you bridge the gap in the circuit with a metal object, but not when you
bridge it with air. Water; like metal allows electricity to flow through it, it’s a conductor. Air, on the other hand, is
an insulator.
An insulator is a substance that makes it practically impossible for electricity to flow; it stops the electrons from
moving. Let’s build an electrical circuit and test a variety of materials to see if they are conductors or insulators.
Record your results below.
Materials:
 1 battery and holder
 1 bulb and bulb socket
 3 (each 20 cm) pieces
of coated wire
Material Tested
Yes
No
Wooden stick
Penny
Aluminum nail
Steel nail
Gold ring
Rubber band
Plastic straw
Brass fitting
Crayon
Graphite
Magnetite
Q-tip
Golf tee
Twist tie
What’s happening? The bulb glows when you put some objects, such as a metal coin, in the circuit. This is because
these objects are conductors. It does not glow when you put other objects, such as the rubber band, in the circuit.
This is because they are insulators. Conductors, unlike insulators, are made of materials that readily let electrons
flow through them, creating electricity. Electricity is the movement of electrons.
All metals will conduct electricity. Copper is a very good conductor of electricity and its relatively inexpensive.
That’s why most electrical wires are made of copper. If you’ve ever gotten an electric shock, you know it can be
unpleasant. Electric shocks can cause serious injuries and even death. Electricity must be kept from going where it
is not wanted. This is done by covering wires with materials that resist the flow of electricity, like rubber or plastic.
Materials that resist the flow of electricity are called insulators.
1. Electricity can flow very easily through substances called _____________________________________.
2. List several good conductors:
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Electrons can be stopped by using an ___________________________________________.
4. List several insulators:
________________________________________________________________________________
Creating Magnetism through Electricity
Every time you turn on a light or watch TV, you are using electricity. When you close the refrigerator door or
listen to music with your headphones on, you use magnetism. Electricity is a form of energy, it makes things
happen. It can heat up a toaster or light up a bulb. We usually think of electricity as flowing through wires, but
static electricity doesn’t flow at all. Do you remember experimenting with static electricity? You can make static
electricity by rubbing certain materials together. This rubs invisible particles called electrons off of one thing and
onto the other, giving each of them a charge. There’s another very useful kind of electricity that’s made by moving
electrons. It’s called current electricity. All the electrical objects we use work with current electricity, not static
electricity. When electrons can easily move through a material we call it a conductor; metals are good conductors.
Using a battery, you can push them all the way through a metal wire. Can you make a light bulb, some wires, and a
battery fit together to make an electric circuit so that the bulb will light? What will happen if you then bring a
compass near your circuit? Let’s experiment with an electric circuit and a compass; remember the compass needle
is a magnet.
Gather the materials and assemble the circuit shown below.
1. Where do you think the electricity is flowing when the switch is on? Electrons flow from the _________________ pole
of the battery through the ___________________and then to the ____________________ pole of the battery.
2. Place the compass under the wire. Observe the North Pole of the compass needle when the electricity on?
Which way is the compass needle pointing? ______________________________________________ Now place the
compass above the wire. Where is the North Pole pointing now? __________________________________________
3. Now reverse the poles of the battery, flip the battery around.
Which way is the compass needle pointing when it is placed above the wire? __________________________________.
What do you think happened? By reversing the poles of the battery we reversed the flow of ______________________.
(electrons, neutrons, or protons)
The electrons (negative particles) flow from the negative pole of the battery to the positive pole. (Opposite poles attract)
A magnetic field is created
when an electric current is
moving through a circuit.
4. Try holding the compass under and over the other wires in your circuit. Is the compass needle moving? ___________
5. Is the following statement True or False?
When electricity is flowing through a circuit, a magnetic force field surrounds all the wires in a circuit. ___________
6. Try holding the wire vertically, up and down. Slowly move the compass around the wire while the electricity is
flowing through the wire. What do you observe? ______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why is the compass needle (magnet) interacting with the electrical circuit?
An electric circuit interacts with the compass needle, a magnet.
Therefore, there is a ______________________________ field
surrounding the wire of an electrical circuit.
Thick and thin…Electricity can flow through any metal wires in a circuit, but it flows more easily through thick wires than
thin ones. The amount of electricity flowing through a wire is called the current. If you use a thinner wire, it is harder for the
battery to push electricity through it, so it will produce a smaller current.
A light bulb can turn electricity into light because it contains a very thin filament. It is hard for the electricity to flow through
the filament, so the energy turns into heat, which makes the filament glow white-hot. This is how the bulb makes light. A
light bulb can be made to burn brighter by using a thicker wire inside the light bulb; this allows the electricity to flow more
easily, which produces more current and a brighter glow.
Did you know?
In 1879, Thomas Edison designed a light bulb, and by 1880 he was manufacturing bulbs for people to use in their
homes. The filament was made of carbonized cotton; today filaments are usually made of the metal tungsten, which
gives a brighter light.
Electricity came into homes in the late 1800’s. At that time, it was an expensive luxury seen only in the richest city homes.
Electric light was so costly that people only put it in their most important rooms. Some people who could afford just one light
bulb decided to put it in the hall. They left their electric light on all day, even when they were out, to show
it off to passersby.
Making Magnets with Electricity
What do a doorbell, a loudspeaker, and a crane in a scrap-metal yard have in common? They all use a special type of magnet
made by electricity. It is called an electromagnet. Make your own magnet in this experiment. Electricity and magnetism are
very closely linked. When electricity flows through a wire, it turns the wire into a magnet, though it is usually too weak to
pick anything up. That’s the kind of electromagnet you constructed in the last lesson. How can an iron nail be turned into a
magnet?
Construct the electromagnet using the picture below to guide you. Your electromagnet should look like the one in the picture.
Remember…
 Turn off the switch when you are not using the electromagnet so that the
battery will last.
 Also, if the battery and wires in the circuit becomes too warm, they resist the
flow of electrons and your electromagnet will not work.
1. How can you make your electromagnet pick up and drop paper clips? ____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can you make the electromagnet stronger? _______________________________________________
We call this kind of magnet a
temporary magnet
because you can turn the
magnetism on and off
by turning the electricity
on and off.
What’s happening?
When you press the switch down, the iron Nail picks up paper clips. That’s because electricity flows
through the circuit, turning its wires into weak magnets. The magnetism is concentrated when the wire
is coiled. It makes a magnetic force strong enough to turn the nail into a magnet. A magnet like this,
which only works when electricity flows around it, is called an electromagnet. Dumps and junkyards
often have huge cranes that carry electromagnets. They are strong enough to pick up huge hunks of
metal, even whole cars.
Electricity travels 186,000 miles per second! Going at that speed, you could travel around
the world eight times in the time it takes to turn on a light switch!
Testing Variables that Affect the Strength of an Electromagnet
Make up 6 containers (2 of each variable) with the following materials for ease in distribution.
Variable: The material that the core is made of.
Wrap 30 coils around the core. Record the number
of paper clips you picked up. TURN OFF the switch.
Test the next core. Record your results.
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Steel nail
Brass bolt
Aluminum nail
Variable: The number of batteries used to power the
electromagnet.
Variable: The number of coils wrapped around
The iron core.
Using a 100cm piece of insulated wire, wrap 30 coils
around a steel nail. Make a circuit using one battery.
Record the number of paper clips you can pick up
with 1 battery. TURN OFF the switch. Now try 3 batteries.
Using a 2 meter piece of insulated wire, wrap 20
Coils around the iron nail. Record the number of
paper clips you can pick up with 20 coils.
TURN OFF the switch. Now try 40 coils.
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1 battery
3 batteries
5 batteries
 20 coils
 40 coils
 60 coils
Making a Motor
Have you ever thought about what makes an electric motor work? You probably know that some kind of electricity
is needed, but what goes on inside of the motor? The electric motor is used in a great number of products that we
use everyday. A car has several motors: a motor for the windshield wipers, a motor for the electric windows, a
motor to run the air-conditioning and heating, a starter motor to start the car, and of course a motor to make the car
move. Motors use electromagnetism to convert electricity into mechanical work: to turn the fan, to move the
windows up and down, to rotate the car’s axle, which rotates the wheels.
Materials:
 1 straw compass (built in lesson 5)
 1 coil of #22 coated wire, 1.5 m long
 1 plastic cup and lid
 1 piece #22 coated wire, 20 cm long
 1 battery and holder
 1 switch
 2 #16 rubber bands
1. How did we get the compass needle to move in a previous lesson? Can you think of how to use
magnetic attraction and repulsion to move the straw compass? How might moving the straw compass
be useful? What could you use a spinning compass for?
2. Set up the straw compasses at each table and let them rest there while we follow the instructions on
page 43 of the Student Activity Book for making a motor with a coil and a compass.
*Be sure to look closely at the illustration and read and follow the directions precisely.
*Turn the switch off between tests!
* Place the coil/cup as close as you can to the magnet on the straw compass, the motor.
3. Which pole of the magnet is attracted to the coils of wire when the electricity is flowing? ______________
4. What effect does the coil have on the magnet when the switch is off? ___________________________
5. Which pole of the magnet is repelled by the coils of the wire, when the electricity is flowing? ____________
6. Challenge: Can you make the motor work? Can you get the straw compass, the motor, to spin continuously in
one direction just by turning the switch on or off at the right time?
Remember which end is being attracted to the coil and which end is being repelled. Put a
sticker on the magnet that is repelled by the coil.
7. Try changing one variable at a time.
o Reverse the poles of the battery. What happened?
o Try a smaller straw. What happened?
o Add 2 more magnets?
o Try adding another coil, cup, switch, and battery set up. Work together to the straw compass, the motor, to
spin really fast!
Energy
1. When electrons flow through a wire, a ___________________ is produced around all the wires in the circuit.
2. Materials that stop the movement of electrons are called: _________________________________
3. Materials that allow electrons to move through are called: ___________________________________
4. ______________________________________ can produce magnetism.
5. When you use electricity to produce magnetism, you are making an ________________________
6. When you wrap a steel or iron nail with coils of wire with electricity flowing through the wire, the nail
becomes a __________________________________________.
7. Circle the magnetic materials:
Iron
Copper
Steel
Cobalt
Aluminum
gold
nickel
8. List the 3 things necessary to make an electromagnet:
_________________________, ____________________________, ___________________________
9. Electromagnets are (temporary or permanent) magnets: __________________________________
10. Why is an electromagnet called a temporary magnet? _________________________________________
11. Circle the conductors of electricity: Plastic
Iron
Rubber
Glass
Aluminum
Copper
Gold
12. Can magnetism be rubbed onto other objects? ___________________
13. _______
Energy in motion. A rollercoaster moving down the hill.
A. negative charge
14. _______
Energy sources we can use over and over again (solar, wind).
B. potential energy
15. _______
Energy from inside the Earth.
C. nonrenewable sources
16. _______
Energy that comes from the movement of electrons.
D. geothermal energy
17. ______
Electrons have this charge.
E. kinetic energy
18. ______
Energy in a battery, food, and wood.
F. renewable sources
19. ______
Petroleum, Nuclear energy, Coal, Natural Gas are energy
sources with a limited supply.
G. Positive charge
20. ______
Stored energy. A rollercoaster sitting at the top of the hill.
H. chemical energy
21. ______
Protons have this charge.
I. Electrical energy
Building a Spinning Coil Motor
The first working motors were built in the 1830’s and performed only limited amounts of work. They were
fascinating devices that incorporated automatic switching so that the motor would run by itself as long as
electricity was supplied to the electromagnet. Today’s motors still operate on the same principles.
Think about the hardest physical work you have ever done, not schoolwork, but the kind of work that makes you
sweat and makes your muscles tired. How could a motor be used to help you do this hard work? What else are
motors used for?
Materials:
 2 pieces #20 bare copper wire, 20cm long
 1 plastic cup and lid
 2 alligator clips
 1 battery and holder
 1 switch
 3 pieces #22 coated wire, 20 cm long
 1 piece #28 bare copper wire, 65 cm long
 1 flexible magnet
1. Follow the instructions for Building a Motor on page 47 in the Student Activity Book.
Reminder: Look at the illustrations and read carefully. Follow the
instructions step-by-step.
2. How is the electricity switched on and off automatically? (look carefully at the armature (coil) while it is spinning)
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where do you think the electricity flows in this circuit? Draw arrows on the illustration above to show the flow of electricity.
4. Do you think the coil is magnetic? _______________ Why do you think that? ____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. How can you make the armature (coil) spin faster? __________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. How can you make the armature (coil) change direction? ____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What Do You Know About Energy?
1. When two magnets are placed North Pole to South Pole, they will ______________________ each other.
2.
Name two renewable energy resources: ______________________
3. A gadget for finding direction:
A. magnet
B. compass
________________________
C. battery
4. The law of magnetic attraction states that…
like poles _____________________ and opposite poles ________________________
5. We used plastic coated wire to make our electromagnets. The plastic material prevents short circuits or
shocks from electricity. The plastic covering is:
A. a conductor
B. an attraction
C. an insulator
6. Why are electromagnets called temporary magnets? ___________________________________________
7.
Electromagnets require: ____________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
8. Circle the materials that will conduct electricity: rubber
plastic
aluminum
9. Circle the materials that will attract a magnet:
iron
aluminum
copper
silver
glass
plastic
copper
steel
iron
wood
Match.
1. _______ These materials allow electricity to flow through them.
A. electricity
2. _______
A ______ surrounds the wire of a complete circuit.
B. insulators
3. _______
These materials stop the flow of electrons.
C. conductors
4. _______
Electricity can produce ________.
D. electromagnet
5. _______
The flow of electrons is called _______.
E. magnetism
6. ________ A magnet that requires electrical current is called _____.
Q:
F. magnetic field
What percent of energy used around the world comes from fossil fuels?
A:
90%
About 90% of the energy that is used around the world to make things,
heat homes and other buildings, drive cars etc. comes from coal, oil and natural gas.
What is Inside an Electric Motor?
Motors run a tremendous number of devices, from toy trains to refrigerators, from air conditioners to video
recorders. What is inside a motor? Let’s find out.
1. Attach the straw with a hole through the center, to the shaft sticking out of the motor and you will be able to see
which way the motor is turning.
2. Hook up an electric circuit that includes a switch. (Materials: 1 battery and holder, 1 piece #22 coated wire – 20 cm
long, 1 switch) Can you make the motor start and stop by using the switch?
3. How can you make the motor turn in the opposite direction? ______________________________________
4. How can you make the motor spin faster? ______________________________________________
5. Use a long straw or a short straw. What difference does the length of the straw make? ___________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Parts of a Motor
_____ commutator
A. It has electromagnets and it is the rotating part of the motor
_____ armature
B. They attract and repel to rotate the armature.
_____ brushes
C. It reverses the direction of an electric current through the coil of the motor.
_____ magnets & electromagnets
It makes the current go through the coil so the motor turns in only one
direction.
D. They touch the commutator to cause the electromagnets to
turn on and off continuously.
Final Energy Review
1. These fuels were made millions of years ago from the remains of plants and animals. ________________
2. Name the three kinds of fossil fuels: ______________ ______________ _______________
3. This fossil fuel is used to make gasoline for our cars: __________________
4. All matter is made of atoms. Name the three parts of an atom: __________ ___________ __________
5. These resources can be replaced by nature quickly: _______________________
6. It can take nature millions of years to produce these resources. People are using these resources faster than nature can
replace them: _______________________
7. Name three renewable resources: _______________ __________________ __________________
8. Name three nonrenewable resources: ______________ _________________ _____________________
Match.
9. _______ Stored energy; a ball sitting at the top of a ramp.
A. nuclear energy
10. ______ Energy in motion; a ball rolling down a ramp.
B. light energy
11. ______ The ability to do work.
C. attract
12. ______ Energy from the stars, a lamp, lightning.
D. geothermal
13. ______ Energy from the nucleus of Uranium atoms.
E. Kinetic Energy
14. ______ Energy from deep inside the Earth.
F. electricity
15. ______ Magnetism and electricity are caused by these particles.
G. Energy
16. ______ Unike charges will ____ each other ( SN or NS)
H. electrons
17. ______ The movement of electrons
I. Potential energy
battery
energy
magnetic
conductors
insulators
switch
18. Electrical circuits allow electrical energy to be changed into other forms (heat, sound, light) of _____________.
19. Every circuit must have a source of “push” for the electrons; the push could be a _______________.
20. This part of a circuit can start and stop the flow of electrons. __________________
21. Iron, aluminum, silver, and copper are all _________________ of electricity.
22. Wood, glass, rubber, and plastic are all __________________ of electricity.
23. Iron, steel, and cobalt are all _________________ materials.