Fun with Science: Magnetism

September’s Fun with Science program was all about magnetism. We discussed what magnetism is on an atomic level, and learned about the types of metals that are most magnetic: iron, cobalt, and nickel.

Using our magnet wands, we discovered which of a variety of household objects could be attracted by a magnet. For example, we saw that the aluminum soda can was not magnetic, whereas the steel spoon was. We learned that not everything that is shiny is magnetic.

Next we learned that the Earth has its own magnetic field created by its molten iron core. We used this principle to discover how compasses work. We then made our own compasses by magnetizing a steel paperclip, and floating it in water. No matter how we turned our compasses, the paperclip always aligned itself with north!

Finally, we had some fun by painting without brushes – only a paperclip and our magnet wands!

Join us at our next Fun with Science event on Saturday October 19, 2019 at 11AM at the Paine Branch Library in Eastwood! The theme of the event will center around vision! Come see what the hype is all about ;-)