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Quick & Easy Experiments With Magnets

Magnetism is such a counter intuitive phenomenon that it brings childlike eyes to even the most rational adult. It happens when objects are attracted or repelled due to the motion of their electric charges. Usually it can be viewed in objects containing an iron core, which is why the Earth has magnetic poles. There are several quick and easy experiments you can do with magnets.

Dollar Bill Trick
- If you have a dollar bill and a magnet, then you̵7;re ready for an experiment. Take a crisp bill, then fold it in half, making the crease sit slightly farther than the center. The crease will run from the bottom to the top of the bill. Lay the longer side flat on a table with the shorter portion sticking up. Lift the magnet close to the edge of the bill, and the ink ̵1; which contains iron particles ̵1; will cause the bill to move slightly with the magnet.
Cereals
- Many cereals contain iron, and now you can prove it. To test cereals with iron, first put 1/2 cup of cereal into a bowl and crush it with a spoon. Then add 1/2 cup of water to the bowl and stir well. Using your magnet, stir the cereal. Turn the magnet upside down and examine it. You should see a division in parts of the cereal with some of it being attracted to the magnet.
Inductive Properties
- Take paper clips and a magnet. Let one paper clip hang from your magnet. With that hanging paper clip, pick up the other paper clips in a vertical formation one after the other. This is made possible by the inductive property of a magnet, which transports its force through the other metals.
Stored Images
- Old floppy disks contain metal. Find a floppy disk containing a stored image. Then drag your magnet all around the floppy disk in various motions. After which, insert the floppy disk and see what happened to the image it contained. You will find that the magnet destroys the stored image because of the magnet̵7;s effects upon the properties of the disc.

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