Magnetism and Compasses
This is a continuation of the first two articles on magnetism. I suggest you review the previous articles in order to receive the maximum benefit from this study.
I don't want the little ones to be left out of this study. Help younger kids make magnetic boats. Press a thumb tack into the bottom of a cork. Use a pin to secure a paper sail to the top of the cork. Place the cork boat into the water and use a magnet to pull the boat around in the water. For a more elaborate boat, try this: Cork Boats
The older kids can have fun making a compass. The compass needle always points to the magnetic north.
To make your own compass you will need:
- A magnet
- A medium bowl
- A small light weight bowl
- Tape
- Water
- Marker
- Fill the larger bowl with water.
- Tape the magnet into the smaller bowl.
- Float the small bowl in the large bowl.
- Allow the small bowl to stop moving.
- Mark where each end of the magnet points.
- Now give the small bowl a little spin in the water.
- Allow the bowl to stop moving.
- Where are the ends of the magnets pointing?
- The ends of the magnets will point to the marks you made on the bowl. The magnetic ends will always point to the magnetic poles of the earth.
- To enhance this compass, cut a circular piece of paper the same size as the top of the small bowl.
- Make an X that goes through the center of the circle.
- Mark the tips of the X with N,S,E, and W.
- Glue the paper over the bowl making sure the N is over the north facing side of the magnet.
A similar experiment can be done by rubbing a magnet onto a needle to “magnetize” the needle. Then place the needle on a piece of wax paper and float the wax paper on the surface of a bowl of water.
If you take a compass to the north pole, which is located in the Arctic, the needle will just spin around in circles!
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