Lesson 2 - Magnetism and Electricity
- Goal 1: Students will describe the magnetic field produced by current in a straight conductor and in a solenoid.
- Goal 2: Students will experiment with electricity and magnetism and make scientific conjectures based on their experiments.
- Goal 3: Students will research how electromagnetism has impacted various fields.
Essential question: How are magnets and electricity connected?
First 10 minutes of class: Class will begin with a demonstration. The purpose of the demonstration is to show that a long, straight, current-carrying wire has a magnetic field. A small hole will be cut in the center of a piece of cardboard. A clamp and ring stand is used to hold the cardboard parallel to the top of the table. Next, a wire will be threaded through the hole and will be clamped to the top of the rind stand so that it is perpendicular to the cardboard. It is necessary to leave at least 10 cm of wire above and below the cardboard. Next, the wire is connected to the dc power supply. A compass is then placed on the cardboard in a circular pattern around the wire. Last, turn on the power supply momentarily and ask the students to note the deflection of the compass needles. Students will then be asked to describe the magnetic field around the wire.
Middle 50 minutes of class: Students will complete this WebQuest on electromagnetism and work in groups to start their group project/presentations. Students will present their findings at the beginning of the next class. After completing the WebQuest, students will take the following quiz. The quiz score will be included in the rubric scoring for an overall grade on the WebQuest.
Last 20 minutes of class: Students will complete a Quick Lab on Electromagnetism.
Materials Needed:
Middle 50 minutes of class: Students will complete this WebQuest on electromagnetism and work in groups to start their group project/presentations. Students will present their findings at the beginning of the next class. After completing the WebQuest, students will take the following quiz. The quiz score will be included in the rubric scoring for an overall grade on the WebQuest.
Last 20 minutes of class: Students will complete a Quick Lab on Electromagnetism.
Materials Needed:
- D-cell battery
- 1m length of insulated wire
- large nail
- compass