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Grades 912. With this comprehensive kit, students build and experiment with 3 different types of electromagnets: coiled wire, metal core, and solenoid. Through 6 activities, students see that an electric current creates a magnetic field and learn how to increase the field's strength by changing the length of wire, number of coils, and amount of electric current. Students learn how electromagnets power everyday devices and get to build a simple motor and even their own working audio speaker.
Product Details
In this investigation, students explore the structure and function of several electromagnetic devices and learn how the scientific principles of electricity and electromagnetic induction can be applied to the design of a device in order to produce a desired effect or perform a specific function—all in order to make sense of the phenomenon and answer the Driving Question, “How can electromagnets be adapted and incorporated into the design of multiple devices, each of which performs a different function?”
Time Requirement
Teacher Prep, 60 minutes. Pre-lab, 45 minutes. Investigation, 90 minutes. Assessment, 30 minutes.
Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support 3-dimensional instruction for NGSS. Digital resources may include a teacher’s manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.
Performance Expectations
HS-PS2-5
HS-PS3-1
HS-PS3-5
HS-PS4-2
Crosscutting Concepts
Cause and Effect
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS2.B: Types of Interactions
Science and Engineering Practices
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Learning Objectives
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Students should be familiar with concepts related to electric circuits, including current, resistance, and voltage. Students should understand the relationship between force and work, as well as the principle of conservation of energy. Students should understand that Earth generates a magnetic field powerful enough to enable navigation by compass at any point on the surface and that the magnetic field is generated by the motion of Earth’s molten outer core.