An electromagnet is produced when electricity flows through a coil of wire wound around an iron or steel core. The magnetism of an electromagnet can be turned on and off by controlling the electric current. A stronger electromagnet can be created by using more winds of wire around the core, tighter winding of the coils, or thicker gauge wire in the coils. Simply adding a battery in a parallel circuit will not strengthen the electromagnet, whereas adding a battery in a series circuit will.

1. Electricity
Investigation 4: Current Attractions
Klang
is a coil of wire, usually wound
around a core of iron or steel, which
produces a magnetic field when
electricity flows through the wire.
Electromagnet Rivet
The magnetism produced by an
electromagnet can be turned on and off.
Small Washers
A Coil is wire wound
repeatedly around a
central core.
A magnet can be made by winding
an insulated wire around an iron core
and running current through the wire.
A Core is the
material around which
a coil is wound.
A prediction is an educated guess based on
knowledge or information.
A graph is a way to
display the relationship
between variables.
What can produce a Stronger Electromagnet?
Assuming that all the coils are wound in the same direction...
1) More winds produce a stronger electromagnet
2) Tighter winds produce a stronger electromagnet
3) Thicker wire produces a stronger electromagnet
4) Adding a D-cell in a SERIES circuit
Note: Adding a D-cell in a parallel circuit DOES NOT make a stronger electromagnet.