Electric & Magnetic Forces Interactive Simulation | Physical Science | Grades 6–8

This Interactive Simulation has grades 6–8 Middle School Physical Science students run a hands-on classroom model of Electric & Magnetic Forces.

Driving question: "How do coil turn count and electric current affect the magnetic field strength of an electromagnet?" Objective: Investigate factors affecting electromagnet strength by testing wire coil numbers and battery voltage to measure paperclip pickup capacity.

What's inside: objective and background, a materials list (Large steel ferromagnetic iron bolts…; Spool of insulated 22-gauge copper…; D-cell battery holders with knife…; Pack of four 1.5-volt alkaline D-cell…), an 8-step protocol, a data table, 4 analysis questions, and teacher notes.

Resource type: Interactive Simulation (.docx). Format: editable Microsoft Word lab handout with approximately 650 words (~4 pages).

Classroom use: a team investigation in a Middle School Physical Science course. Grades 6–8.

Format note: These files are delivered in Microsoft Office formats (Word and/or PowerPoint). If you open a worksheet that includes tables in Apple Pages or another non-Microsoft app, table formatting may not display correctly. For best results, use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint (or upload the file to Google Docs). If you run into any formatting issues, contact us and we can send a PDF version.