Inquiry Physics Objectives

Links:

Content Standard III (State PASS Standard 1):
Forces and Motion
(electricity and magnetism section)

Topic:

13. Electromagnetism (state standard 1.4)
    Electricity and magnetism are two aspects of a single electromagnetic force.

Time Range:
12 weeks for E & M section

Suggested Teaching Strategies:

• Begin with magnetism:
  • Have students create a tadpole compass using straight pin, small cork, petri dish of water, and permanent magnet. Have students magnetize glass pin-shaped bulbs filled with iron filings to model what happened to the pin.
  • Have students see how a lodestone affects a regular compass.
  • Have students magnetize an iron rod and then demagnetize it.
  • Have students design their own mini-experiments to determine which set of magnets is stronger: steel or ALNICO bar magnets.
• Then tackle electromagnetism with the core lab.

Aligned Resources:

• Core Lab 16: Electromagnetic Induction
  Inquiry Physics Investigation 17, Lab
• Inquiry Physics Investigation 16 – Magnetism and Investigation 17 – Electromagnetism, including worksheets and suggested activities
• Available student equipment includes: straight pins, corks, petri dishes, glass pin bulbs with iron filings, stirring magnets, ceramic magnets, lodestones, iron rods, steel bar magnets, ALNICO bar magnets
• Available demo equipment includes: Neodymium magnets, coil swing where candle flame takes a Canadian buffalo nickel above the Curie Point and it swings away from permanent magnet, horseshoe magnets, etc.

Revision Date:
June 2004