Video: Watch this demo
Description: This demonstration shows the interaction between the moving current in a wire in the presence of a magnetic field.
- Large DC power supply/ car battery
- Strong permanent magnet
- Jumping wire apparatus
- Portable Metal post with clamp
- 4 Banana plug wires
- Connect the jumping wire apparatus to the portable metal post clamp.
- Take the protective plug out of the magnet. Use caution.
- Position the jumping wire apparatus so the wire can go between the two poles of the magnet (see picture).
- Connect the jumping wire apparatus to the power supply. Use two cables in parallel per terminal due to high current.
- Turn switch on to test circuit to see if it is working.
- When the professor is done, place the plug back into the magnet. Use caution.
- Turn on the power supply with the switch open.
- Close the switch and note that the wire moves either up or down. This is because the current carrying wire produces a magnetic field which interacts with the permanent magnet, thus creating a force.
- You may reverse the switch to show that the wire moves in the opposite direction.
- When finished, turn off the power supply.
Strong magnetic field
This is a very powerful permanent magnet. Use caution.