What could be more thrilling than making magnetic discoveries and experimenting with magnet detectors?  The fourth graders have begun their magnetism and electricity unit!

 

Mrs. Moses from PSNH told us “The Shocking Truth About Electrical Safety” this week.  Visit Electrical Safety World at www.psnh.com (click on Community).

 

I had a nail stuck to a magnet, and when I touched the nail to a paper clip, the paper clip stuck to the nail.  Why did this happen, Fried Chicken? 

 

“You see why this happens is that when the magnet touches the nail, it becomes a temporary magnet.  That means now the nail can attract other iron or steel objects.  But if you take the nail off, it cannot pick up any objects.  That is because once the magnet touches the nail, it has induced magnetism to pick up the thing, but when you take it off, it can’t pick up the paper clip.”

 

We hid magnets inside boxes and had to discover where they were with magnet detectors like iron filings.

 

Scout reported, “I think that magnets were better magnet detectors than iron filings, compasses, or iron objects because if you put the magnet on a spot and flip the box over, then you would know if the magnet was in that spot.  The force would pull the magnet to the spot the hidden magnet was in.”