How do I make a magnetic generator?

[Swamp Donkey]

Hi guys,

I'm Swamp Donkey's wife. I've got a grade 5 student who wants to make a "magnetic generator" for his science fair project. I don't know squat about magnetic generators. Could someone out there give me a clue on a) how they work and b) how to make one? The kid talks about styrofoam cups and magnets...

help? Please?

Mrs Swamp donkey.

 

[JPope]

I beleive that you can wrap a nail with a coil of wire, and connect to a battery and get a magnetic field which will pick up other small nails etc.



When in elementary grade I did a science project that was similar to what I described (creating a child's copy of a crane), but that was just after magnetic fields had been discovered :-laf , so Ben Franklin and I were working in the same era on this



Today's elementary school students are probably creating magnetic powered robots, space ships etc. , computer controlled that can actually work



From a google search:

Explanation of what the coiled wire around the nail shows:



Electrostatic flux is impeded or blocked by metallic objects. Magnetic flux passes through most metals with little or no effect, with certain exceptions, notably iron and nickel. These two metals, and alloys and mixtures containing them, are known as ferromagnetic materials because they concentrate magnetic lines of flux. An electromagnet provides a good example. An air-core coil carrying direct current produces a magnetic field. If an iron core is substituted for the air core in a given coil, the intensity of the magnetic field is greatly increased in the immediate vicinity of the coil. If the coil has many turns and carries a large current, and if the core material has exceptional ferromagnetic properties, the flux density near the ends of the core (the poles of the magnet) can be such that the electromagnet can be used to pick up and move cars.



http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wmfield.html Explanation of magnetic field



http://www.amasci.com/electrom/statbotl.html Science Project



http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph11e/mfwire.htm Magnetism and a current carrying wire



http://www.schoolscience.co.uk/content/3/physics/copper/copch33pg1.html

Magnetic fileds from a school site

 

[rono]

JPope is right. You can take any steel rod or bar, (nail, screwdriver etc... ) wrap it with a piece of insulated wire with the wraps close together, leave the ends extending far enough to reach a battery and connect it briefly to the battery. When working on cars, I will do this and hold one end of the wire to the positive terminal of the battery and strike the other end across the negative terminal causing a spark. Do this several times and you have a magnet. The more times you do this or the longer the current has time to flow thru the wire the stronger the magnet will become. If the battery is leaking or there is any (gas) coming out of the battery do not use that battery as the (gas) could ignite.

Ron

 

[Morphious]

Are you talking about creating a magnetic field with electricity or generating electricity with a magnetic field? The above post described how to create a magnetic field using electricity. If you are wanting to generate electricity with a magnetic field, the below link gives you some information about how it works:



http://www.wvic.com/how-gen-works.htm



http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/electgeneration.htm



Morph

 

[B.G. Smith]

[ If the battery is leaking or there is any (gas) coming out of the battery do not use that battery as the (gas) could ignite.

Ron[/QUOTE]

In addition to the warnings stated by Ron about the possibality of blowing up the battery, be careful regardless of which battery you use as the wire will get very hot very quickly and burn your hand/hands. It would be wise to just buy a dry cell battery to use, especially around youngsters but the burn possibality will still exist. bg

 

[JPope]

"... especially around youngsters but the burn possibality will still exist. bg "



Yes you are correct!!!!! I used a 6 volt battery (wasn't to many options back in the dark ages!!!, but it beat a kite in a thunder storm!!) and I do remember that I did not want to hold it long :{



Morphious, thanks for presenting another possibility of what the question/answer could be !!

 

[Jacobs]

You may want to try



www.howstuffworks.com



They have lots of interesting stuff

 

[Fireman Dave]

Hey Mrs. Donk - are you keeping Swampy out of trouble up there? :-laf

Tell him the freaks say hi.



Dave

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Hi FMD!

Yep, I'm keeping the Donk on his toes... uh hooves.

I miss BSing with you turbo diesel boys. Hope you're all in twin turbo bliss.



Mrs Donk.