Tess’ Weblog

Here is another science assignment. I also got an A* on this. 

 

 

An experimental study of: What affects the strength of an electromagnet?

 

Aim:

Our research question was “Does the amount of iron core affect the strength of an electromagnet?” I was in a group with Annemique and Elizabeth. We wanted to see if the electromagnet had changed, if it was stronger or weaker if we added more soft iron core.

 

Hypothesis:

 Our hypothesis was that when we added more soft iron core the electromagnet would become stronger and hold more paper clips. We did four experiments and the total amount would be four soft iron cores lined up together. Around the iron would be a wire attached to a battery to form a circuit.

 

Variables:

Independent: amounts of iron core

Controlled: turns of wire, voltage,

 

Apparatus:

·        1. Soft iron core (x4)

·        2. Paper clips

·        3. 1m of wire

·        4. Battery

·        5. Crocodile clips (x2)

 

Method:

1.     Set up your apparatus.

2.     For the first experiment only use one iron core to make it a fair test

3.     Rap the wire around the iron core; make sure how many turns of wire you use so you can use the same in the other tests.

4.     At the end of the wires attach the crocodile clips with the wire attached to it and plugged in the battery.

5.     Turn the voltage to 4 for every test. To make it fair experiment.

6.     Turn on the battery and try to pick up as many paper clips as you can. Make sure that for every experiment you change the paper clips because when you turn off the power of the battery the paper clips will become magnets. Which means that if you try and pick up the paper clips with the iron core they will repel.

7.     Record your results and if necessary repeat the experiment to be sure of you answers.

 

Results: Test 1.

Table to show how many paper clips held on different amounts of soft iron cores:

 

Tests:	Amount of paper clips held	voltage
1 iron core	9	4
2 iron cores	6	4
3 iron cores	11	4
4 iron cores	2	4

 

Test 2

Tests:	Amount of paper clips held	voltage
1 iron core	6	3
2 iron cores	4	3
3 iron cores	8	3
4 iron cores	3	3

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we have found out our investigation. That if we change the amount of soft iron cores it has affect on the strength of an electromagnet. In our results we have witnessed a pattern in both results. Both the same. With one iron core the results we second highest, with two iron core the results we second lowest. The third experiment with three iron cores shows the highest results. And the final test with four iron cores showed the lowest results. The pattern was high, low, highest and lowest. This is not what we expected. We thought that the more iron core the stronger the magnet is. But in fact the highest amount of iron core was the lowest result.

 

Discussion:

We have experienced an unexplainable pattern that we cannot seem to explain and work out what they experiment should show. If we had only done one test we would have thought that we did something wrong but both tests show the same pattern. As I said before our results do not link in with our hypothesis or the hypothesis of our teachers. They too did not know how to explain the results.

 

Evaluation:

I have really enjoyed working with my team. They are very close friends of mine so we got along very well. Like everyone else we disagreed once or twice but we found a solution that worked for us all. In my opinion our method was the right way. It did show reliable results because the both tests showed the same pattern.

 

Improvements:

If I could change what we did I would have to say that I would have wanted to weigh the iron cores. We tried to but the weight of the iron core was too heavy.  

 By Tess