Electromagnets

• databot

• IOS/Android Smart Device

Investigations

Physical Science

Background

What You Will Need/Prep

• Test your databot™ connection.

• You will be prompted to select
  and connect to databot™ each
  time you launch an experiment.

• If there are two or more databot's
  listed, the one closest to your
  device will be highlighted in blue.

Electromagnets

This lesson builds on the knowledge gained in
previous studies of magnetism, focusing on how
electronics influence magnetic fields and how to
create and test an electromagnet. Students will use
databot™ to detect changes in magnetic fields
caused by electronics and observe the properties of
an electromagnet.

• Electronic devices (e.g., phone,
  charger, fan)

• Ruler or measuring tape

• Insulated copper wire (1–2 m)

• Iron nail (at least 10 cm long)

• AA battery and battery holder

• Small metallic objects (e.g.,
  paper clips)

• Install Vizeey™ on your
  Smart device.

• Study the background
  information and terms and
  prepare to explore!

Grades: Middle School

Time: 45 Minutes

Subject: Physical Science

Topics: Magnetic Fields, Electronics,
Electromagnets

Magnetic fields are invisible forces surrounding
magnetic materials and influencing other objects
sensitive to magnetism. We interact with magnetic
fields daily without even noticing—from fridge magnets
to complex components inside our phones and
computers.

The connection between electricity and magnetism was
first discovered by Hans Christian Oersted in 1820. He
observed that an electric current flowing through a wire
caused the needle of a compass to deflect, providing
the first evidence of the electromagnetic interaction.

Electromagnets are a pivotal invention demonstrating
how electric current generates magnetic fields. When
electricity flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic
field around it. Wrapping the wire around an iron core
amplifies the field’s strength. Electromagnets have
countless applications, from motors and relays to
magnetic cranes and medical devices like MRI
scanners.

Magnetic fields also surround electronic devices. Every
functioning gadget—from chargers to electric motors—
generates a weak magnetic field.

Learning Objectives

By completing this lab, students will:

• Measure and analyze the impact of electronic devices on magnetic fields.

• Discover how electromagnetic fields are generated.

• Construct a simple electromagnet and observe its behavior.

• Enhance skills in using databot™ for scientific investigation.

Magnet: an object that produces a magnetic field, which exerts a force on certain
materials such as iron and other metals. Magnets have two poles, called the north pole
and the south pole, and they can attract or repel other magnets or magnetic materials.

Magnetic Field: A region around a magnetic material within which the force of
magnetism acts.

Electromagnet: A type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by an electric
current.

Magnetometer: A device that measures the strength and direction of magnetic fields.

Magnetic Interference: Disturbance in a magnetic field caused by nearby electronics or
other magnetic sources.

Physical Science

Interesting Facts

Electromagnets in Everyday Life: Electromagnets are used in numerous everyday devices,
including doorbells, electric locks, and relays. They’re also crucial in more complex
systems like maglev trains, which use powerful electromagnets to levitate and propel
trains without friction.

Strength of Electromagnets: The strength of an electromagnet can be adjusted by
changing the current passing through the wire or increasing the number of coils. This
makes them highly versatile for different applications, from lifting scrap metal in junkyards
to delicate medical instruments.

Magnetic Interference: Strong magnetic fields from electronics can interfere with other
devices. For example, a running microwave oven may disrupt Wi-Fi signals due to
electromagnetic interference.

Through hands-on activities with the databot magnetometer,
you will investigate the relationship between electricity and
magnetism and how electronics impact our environment.

Once in the Experiment

In order to work with the experiment you need to launch the Vizeey application and click on
+ in the upper right corner.

Then select “Add experiment from QR code” and scan the QR code prepared for this
experiment. Your experiment will appear in the list.

In this experiment we will use the magnetic field
sensor (magnetometer) which is built into
databot.The sensor is very sensitive and notices
even the smallest changes in the magnetic field.

Physical Science

Depending on which side of the magnet is
brought closer to the databot and the pole of
the magnet (north or south), the databot’s
sensors will detect changes in the magnetic
field along three axes: X, Y, and Z. These
changes will be displayed in real time, showing
the direction and strength of the magnetic field.

There are 2 tabs available for analyzing and
capturing data in this experiment. You can see
them here and use any of them.

This block shows data from the databot sensor
in real time.

By clicking on the “Capture values” button you
capture the data at the moment.

After pressing the “Capture values” button
again, the previous values are deleted.

Part 1: Initial Observations and Discussion Questions

What real-world examples can you think of where electromagnets or electromagnetic
fields play a critical role?

Part 3: Experiment Procedure

Do you think all electronic devices will produce magnetic fields of the same strength?
Why or why not?______________________________________________________________________

Physical Science

Why do you think an electromagnet can be turned on and off, while a permanent magnet
cannot? ______________________________________________________________________________

Materials Needed:

• databot

• Electronic devices (e.g.,
  phone, charger, fan)

• Ruler or measuring tape

In this experiment, we investigate how electronic devices
generate and alter magnetic fields, using databot™ to
measure magnetic field strength at different distances. We
will record changes in the magnetic field to understand the
impact of distance and device operation.

Investigating Electronics and Magnetic Fields

Part 3: Experiment Procedure

Physical Science

• Ensure your databot™ is fully charged or connected to a power source.

• Place databot™ in an area free of electronic devices or other magnetic sources.

• Select an electronic device (e.g., a phone, charger, or small fan) and place it
  approximately 15 cm away from databot™ while the device is powered on. Observe
  and record the magnetic field readings displayed in the app.

• Gradually move the electronic device closer to databot™ in increments of 5 cm
  (15 cm → 10 cm → 5 cm).

• Click on the "Fix values" button to fix the magnetic field values ​​in all axes. These
  values ​​need to be entered into the table

• Repeat the process with other electronic devices, ensuring consistent distances and
  conditions for each test.

Specify the name of the device

____________________________

Specify the name of the device

____________________________

Specify the name of the device

____________________________

Which devices produced the strongest magnetic fields? __________________________________

Part 5: Experiment Procedure

Physical Science

Building and Testing an Electromagnet

In this section of the lesson, you will construct an
electromagnet and test its ability to attract metal
objects. You will also measure its magnetic field
strength using a databot™. Additionally, you will
explore how factors such as the number of wire
turns and battery charge influence its performance.

• Take a long piece of insulated copper wire (approximately
  1–2 meters).

• Begin wrapping the wire tightly around an iron nail (at least
  10 cm long), ensuring the coils are close together without
  overlapping. Leave 5–10 cm of wire free at each end for
  connections.

Materials Needed:

• Insulated copper wire (1–2 meters)

• Iron nail (at least 10 cm long)

• AA battery and battery holder

• databot™ with magnetometer

• Small metallic objects (e.g., paper
  clips)

• Secure the ends of the wire to the terminals of an AA battery. Use a battery holder for
  added safety and to prevent accidental short circuits. Make sure the connections are
  secure.

When the wire contacts on the battery are short-circuited, the wire or the
battery may get hot, so the contacts can be short-circuited for a short time of
2-3 seconds.

• Turn on databot.

When you connect 2 wires to the battery, a magnetic field will be created, and you will
measure it using databot.

Physical Science

• Place databot™ at different distances ( 5 cm, 10 cm,
  15 cm) from the nail and record the field readings.

• Click on the "Fix values" button to fix the magnetic
  field values ​​in all axes. These values ​​need to be
  entered into the table.

If you have extra time, expand the experiment.

• Take a longer wire and make more turns around the
  nail. Repeat the tests and observe how the number
  of turns affects the strength of the electromagnet’s
  magnetic field.

1. Connect multiple AA batteries in series to increase the current through the wire.
   Test the electromagnet again with databot™ and metallic objects, noting any
   changes in magnetic strength and range.

2. Replace the iron nail with other materials (e.g., a wooden stick, steel rod) and
   observe how the core material affects the electromagnet’s performance.

3. Record all observations

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

1. Which experiment—measuring magnetic fields from electronics or creating an
   electromagnet—did you find more surprising or engaging? Why?

Part 6: Concept Questions

Part 7: Reflection

2. What challenges did you encounter during the experiments, and how did you address
them?

3. If you could modify your electromagnet to make it stronger or more efficient, what
would you change, and why?

Physical Science