The magnetic wire. Class members create a magnetic field by running electricity through a wire. The video included in the resource provides information on how this effect is used to make electrical motors.

Concepts

electromagnetic force, electromagnetism, magnetic fields, electric currents, electric motors, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the demonstration at the beginning of a lesson on electric motors
• Utilize different sizes of magnets to determine if the size makes a difference

Classroom Considerations

• Allow enough wire free to be able to switch the wires to the other terminals of the battery

Pros

• Provides a tip on how to determine the polarity of a magnetic field surrounding a wire
• The pictures show what to expect when performing the demonstration

Cons

• Using the right-hand rule may be difficult since the palm will either push up or down based upon the orientation of the magnets