Home Explorations: Magnets/Lines of Force

• Magnet

• Plastic sheet. (A thick plastic baggie will work.)

• Iron Filings (gathered from sand or dry dirt)

Directions (Download print version at HOME EXPLORATIONS- LINE OF FORCE II (PRINT) PDF.PDF )

1.     Place a magnet under a plastic sheet.

2.    Sprinkle iron on the surface of the sheet above the magnet.

3.    Tap the plastic to allow the particles to move as they may.

4.    Observe the pattern and sketch on a piece of paper.

5.     Now place two magnets near one another under the plastic. Make sure they repel one 

        another. Place two magnets like shown in the diagram above and sprinkle the iron to see the

        pattern. Tap the plastic to allow the iron particles to move. Sketch the results.

6.    Again, place two magnets under the plastic.  Make sure they attract one another. Sprinkle

       iron on the plastic and then tap the plastic. Sketch the result.

7.     Finally, try other shapes of magnets in the same way. 

Extensions

The invisible lines of force surround a magnet. We cannot actually see these lines, but the way iron particles arrange themselves on these lines prove that the lines of force are there. The strongest lines are close to the magnet.

Various websites explain magnet theory:  

Overview of magnets:  https://www.kjmagnetics.com/blog.asp?p=magnet-basics

More about magnetic fields: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/magnetic-forces-and-magnetic-fields/magnetic-field-current-carrying-wire/a/what-are-magnetic-fields

Video of Experiments