3. WILLIAM STURGEON
• Danish scientist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered in 1820 that electric
currents create magnetic fields.
• In the same year, the French scientist André-Marie Ampère showed that iron
can be magnetized by inserting it in an electrically fed solenoid.
• British scientist William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet in 1824.
William Sturgeon
• William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet by using a painted horseshoe-shaped iron piece
wrapped around by bare copper wire.
• Sturgeon also displayed the power of this electromagnet by lifting other iron scraps. In 1830, US
scientist Joseph Henry made more sophisticated electromagnet and made it popularize.
4. ELECTROMAGNET
DEFINITION
The electromagnets are temporary magnets that are created when the electricity passes through a
metal wire coil.
How to make elctro magnet
In a simple arrangement, requires an insulated copper wire, iron rod and battery.
Electromagnets are easy to make.
Take some meters of insulated copper wire and wrap it around the iron or steel core.
When an electric current passes through it the iron core becomes magnetized.
A solenoid is the iron rod, which is wrapped up with insulated copper wire.
5. ELECTRO MAGNET
ADVANTAGES
ELECTROMAGNETS ARE VERY USEFUL WHERE THE CHANGING OF POLES AND
DISCONTINUATION OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD IS NECESSARY.
A MAGNETIC SEPARATOR UTILISES THIS PROPERTY OF ELECTROMAGNETS VERY
WELL. WHEN MAGNETIZED BY PASSING CURRENT, IT ATTRACTS THE IRON SCRAPS FROM
THE HEAP OF SCRAPS AND ITS OPERATOR MOVES THE SCRAP TO ANOTHER PLACE AND
STOPS THE CURRENT SUPPLY TO DROP THEM. BY DEPLOYING MAGNETIC SEPARATOR, WE
GET IRON SCRAP.
OTHER ADVANTAGES OF ELECTROMAGNETS ARE THAT THEY ARE INEXPENSIVE AND
EASY TO BUILD.
THEY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT AND DO NOT DAMAGE THE TEST-PIECE WHICH IS A PART
OF THE ELECTROMAGNET.
6. ELECTRO MAGNET
DISADVANTAGES
ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTROMAGNETS IS THAT THEY HEAT UP
VERY FAST AND DUE TO THIS HEAT GENERATION LOSE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY IS VERY
MUCH.
A CONTINUOUS POWER SUPPLY REQUIRES MAINTAINING THE CONSTANT
MAGNETIC FIELD.
TO GET THE STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD, A LARGE NUMBER OF COILING OF
COPPER WIRE IS REQUIRED WHICH IN TURN, REQUIRES LARGE SPACE. SO THE
ELECTROMAGNETS ARE UNFIT FOR SMALL SPACES.
AS THE MAGNETIC FIELD IS DUE TO THE ELECTRIC CURRENT IN
ELECTROMAGNETS, SHORT-CIRCUIT CAN DAMAGE THE ELECTROMAGNETS AND THEY CAN
HARM THE OPERATOR BADLY.