Electromagnetic Experiment
By: Ellie Vincent
Question
If the lengths of the cores are different, which length will make the electromagnet strongest and pick up the most paperclips?
Prediction
I think that the shortest core will make the electromagnet the strongest. I think this because the number of coils will be more closely wrapped around the bolt than the longer bolts.
Data
Conclusion
The answer to my question is that the 4”x1/4” bolt made the electromagnet strongest and picked up the most paper clips. My prediction was not supported by this experiment because how closely wrapped the coils of the wire not affect its strength, because they're all the same number of coils on every bolts. My data shows that the second boIt I tried, picked up more paper clips than the first, and the third was able to pick up less paper clips then the second, but more than the first. Something that may have affected my results was that my battery got very hot, and all of the paper clips that I used were different sizes. Also I only used one end of the bolt that was able to pick up paperclips, not both. Now I wonder, if under what circumstances or combinations of materials or steps, would the electromagnet work best?