Summary
Phil wraps wire around a metal core and runs electricity through it to create a magnet he can switch on and off. He scales it up to lift heavy objects, showing the link between electricity and magnetism. ~22 min, free on the official Science Max YouTube channel.
Viewer safety
All ages
Common Sense Media — not yet ratedIMDb Parents Guide — not yet rated
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Turn on the power and the metal becomes a magnet — Phil builds an electromagnet that lifts.
- What two things did Phil combine to make an electromagnet?
- How is an electromagnet different from a regular magnet?
- What did the electromagnet pick up?
- Why is being able to switch a magnet on and off useful?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: magnet, electricity, electromagnet, attract, metal.
Try it: Hold a regular magnet near paper clips and count how many it lifts. Predict what would happen if the magnet were stronger.