The Floating Magnet
Demonstrate repelling magnets. Have students predict attraction.
Materials:
Two ring magnets for each group. Two identical magnets can be used with toothpicks.
Put a small dot of liquid paper on the sides that repel to be sure which side is which.
Several pieces of styrofoam.
Pencils
Procedure
Stick a long pencil through the styrofoam to make a pole. Lay one ring magnet on the styrofoam around the pencil. The other magnet can be dropped and it will repel the lying magnet. It’s so light that the magnetic field is stronger than the pull of gravity, and it floats.
Small bar magnets can do the same thing with toothpicks all around the first magnet to hold it in place.
Ask the students to predict what will happen when the floating magnet is turned over and lowered onto the pencil? For this activity, case ‘A’ is when the magnets attract and case’B’ is when they repel and one magnet floats. The difference is only the reversal of the fields. Have students draw what they saw. Write down the vocabulary words the students use about what they saw and experienced. Students write in their journals through guided writing. Students should read what they wrote to others in the class.