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How to Make Metal Be Magnetized

Magnets attract the polarized particles of other materials towards them. You can make a magnet out of a piece of metal by using another magnet to polarize the domains in the metal which can make either a temporary or permanent magnet. You can also make a piece of metal into a magnet using electricity and more materials. You should only use a battery to make an electromagnet as wall outlets would provide too much power.

Things You'll Need

Magnet
Iron nail
Copper wire
D-cell battery

Instructions

Use a Magnet
- 1
  Position the metal object to be magnetized on a flat surface.
- 2
  Run a magnet from one end of the metal object to the other. Lift it off and return to the starting position and run it down the object again. Do this 50 times.
- 3
  Place an iron nail near the object to test its magnetic power.
Electromagnet
- 4
  Strip some insulation from the copper wire to enable a good electric connection with the nail.
- 5
  Wrap the copper wire in coils around an iron nail. Wrap the wire in one direction from end to end. Leave enough wire at each end to attach to the battery.
- 6
  Attach one end of the wire to the positive terminal of the battery and the other to the negative. It does not matter which end you attach, but if you swap the wires on the battery the polarity of the ends of the nail will also reverse.
- 7
  Place another nail close to your electromagnet to test its power.

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