An electromagnet is created when a coil of wire is wrapped around an iron core and electric current from a battery is passed through the wire. This causes the iron core to become magnetized and attract metallic objects, making it temporarily magnetic. An electromagnet can be made stronger by using more coils of wire or increasing the electric current by adding more batteries.

1. WHAT MAKES AN
ELECTROMAGNET?
Chapter 4, Lesson 4

2. Essential Question +
Vocabulary
 What makes an electromagnet?
 H:
 A:
Electromagnet: A _____ that has coils of current-
carrying ______ around an iron core

3. What you need to know from the
electromagnet lab on page 214
 What is an electromagnet?
 How does an electromagnet work?
 How is an electromagnet like a bar magnet?
 Make a data table shown on page 214 to help
record data

4. Making a magnetic field
 When a battery is attached to the wire
wrapped iron nail, an electric current runs
through the wire
 The nail becomes a magnet, attracting
metallic objects. The nail is now an
electromagnet.
 An electromagnet is TEMPORARY

5. Making a magnetic field
Wrap a coil If there is no
Attach a
wire around electricity,
battery to the
an iron nail there is no
wire
magnet

6. Controlling Electromagnets
 Electromagnets can be turned on and off
 Two ways you can make an electromagnet
stronger: 1. Use more coils
2. Increase electric current (by adding more
batteries)

7. Essential Question
 What makes an electromagnet?
 H:
 A: