US Department of Energy
Magnets on a Stick: A Magnetic Force Demonstration Device
Why do some magnets attract while others repel? Scholars use clearly labeled permanent magnets to explore the attractive question. They compare the behavior of like versus opposite poles to find the answer.
Teach Engineering
Drawing Magnetic Fields
Class members use a compass and several points to map out the magnetic field of a magnet. Pairs trace the magnetic field lines produced by a permanent magnet by positioning the compass in numerous spots around the magnet to view the...
Teach Engineering
Magnetic or Not?
The class must determine the magnetic properties of different materials, including aluminum and steel by sorting through materials using a magnet. Groups make a prediction on whether a material is magnetic and then perform...
Teach Engineering
Visualizing Magnetic Field Lines
Magnetic fields might not be a field of dreams but they are useful. Class members observe the reactions of magnetic fields using a compass, iron filings in a paper container, and iron filings suspended in mineral oil.
Teach Engineering
Force on a Current Carrying Wire
What do electrical currents have to do with an MRI? Using a simple wire setup and a magnet, class members explore forces used in an MRI by investigating the magnetic force acting on a wire carrying a current.
K12 Reader
Magnetic Attraction
Teach your class about magnets and electromagnets with a reading passage. After reading the passage, learners respond to five related questions.
Teach Engineering
Magnetic Fields
Introduce your class to magnetic fields with an activity that demonstrates that a compass is affected by the magnetic field of the earth, unless a closer, stronger magnetic field is present. Pupils can use this fact in the...
Teach Engineering
Magnetic Fields Matter
Help your young scientists learn which materials are affected by magnetic fields with an activity that presents the information about different types of materials — diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and ferromagnetic — and their interaction...
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Magnets From Mini to Mighty
If your knowledge of magnets ends with posting a to-do list on the fridge, add this to the list. Learn more about magnets! You can start here with a straightforward rundown of magnet types, uses and strengths, explained in a way that...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Build Your Own Windmill Generator
Build your own windmill and see how the wind can be converted into energy to produce electricity. This science fair project should help you understand the use of wind as a source of alternative energy. The Science Buddies project ideas...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Electromagnet
Easy-to-read information and an illustration of an "electromagnet," a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is induced by the flow of an electric current.
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Magnet Academy: Magnetic Domains
In ferromagnetic materials, smaller groups of atoms band together into areas called domains, in which all the electrons have the same magnetic orientation. That's why you can magnetize them. See how it works in this Java tutorial.