The Magic of Magnetism…• What are some properties of magnets

and magnetic fields?• How is the Earth’s magnetic field generated?• What is the Earth’s magnetic field really like and does it do anything useful?

Discoveries or New IdeasQuestions:

Playing With Magnetism

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Procedure:1. Form Pairs2. Gather materials

- 2 bar magnets- Shaker of filings- Plastic sheet- Piece of paper- Straw

3. Place paper on desk4. Magnets on paper5. Tape plastic sheet above

magnet on books6. Sprinkle filings on sheet7. Record observations in

journal

Playing With MagnetismFeel like?

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Look Like?

What causes magnets to exert a force?

Volunteers please?

What Does Earth’s Magnetic Field Look Like?

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The solar wind shown above is a stream of ionized gases that blows outward from the Sun at about 400 km/second and that varies in intensity with the amount of surface activity on the Sun.

Making an Electromagnet:an analogy to Earth’s magnetic field1. Test a nail for magnetic properties.2. Is the nail magnetic?3. If not, using the materials supplied,

create a prediction of how you might create a magnet out of the nail.

4. Record your results in your journal.5. Repeat until you create your

magnet.6. Answer journal questions.

Key Terms• Magnet: a metal that can attract other metals• Magnetic Properties: an item which can

attract or repel items as a magnet does• Poles: areas of magnets where the fields are

strongest• Magnetic Field: the area around a magnet in

which charged particles are influenced; produced by the motion of electrical charges

• Magnetosphere: region around the Earth where the magnetic field is located.

Conclusions

Burning Questions of Science!

• Why does the magnetic field of the sun show up when it is hit with gas?