Lesson: Magnetism 101
This lesson: Magnetism 101 will allow students to fully explore magnetism. Students will learn the mystery of magnetism. From the quantum to the electro-mechanical students will explore all types of magnets. Special emphasis will be applied in each camp as magnets are central components of all of them.
What Is a Magnet?
You know all about magnets. But do you know why magnets work? Why are there ALWAYS a north and a south pole?
Magnets are almost always made of a metal. But not all magnetic things are metal. For example many atoms form magnetic molecules.
Take for example DiHydrogen Monoxide. The rest of us call this water. But water IS magnetic.
Have you ever wondered by water tends to group together into droplets? It is because the surface of water droplets attract other droplets, magnetically. If water were not magnetic there would be no oceans, lakes, rivers, puddles, or even clouds.
Water is attracted to negatively charged surfaces and it exerts a positive charge. When can influence the flow of water by exposing it to a charged balloon or a piece of silk. What we don’t realize is how deeply related magnetism and electricity are.
This won’t mean much to you until you start learning more about atoms and molecules. But this tight relationship between light, electricity, and magnets is really important. On this farm it is essential!
We create a lot of energy here. We do it with light (solar panels) and wind (wind turbines) and chemicals and ions (batteries). Without a proper understanding of magnetic principles, we won’t get far.