Copper wire in Electromagnetism- Class 10 Science Experiment
Chapter Name: Electromagnetism
Activity Name: Copper wire in Electromagnetism
Activity Description:
In this experiment, you will create an electromagnet by winding copper wire around a soft iron cylinder. You will then observe the levitation of a metal ring when the coil is connected to an AC source. Additionally, you will observe the behavior of the metal ring when the coil is connected to a DC source.
Required Items:
- Wooden base
- Soft iron cylinder
- Copper wire
- Metal ring (slightly larger in radius than the soft iron cylinder)
- AC source
- DC source
Step by Step Procedure:
- Take the wooden base and fix the soft iron cylinder vertically onto it.
- Wind the copper wire around the soft iron cylinder to form a coil.
- Insert the metal ring through the center of the soft iron cylinder on the wooden base.
- Connect the ends of the copper wire coil to an AC source and switch on the current.
- Observe the levitation of the metal ring above the coil due to the magnetic field produced by the electromagnet.
- Switch off the AC current, and you will notice the metal ring dramatically jumping into the air.
- Disconnect the AC supply and connect the coil to a DC source.
- Observe the behavior of the metal ring when the coil is connected to the DC source.
Experiment Observations:
- When the AC current is switched on, the metal ring levitates above the coil due to the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet.
- Turning off the AC current causes the metal ring to jump into the air dramatically, losing its levitated state.
- When connected to a DC source, the behavior of the metal ring may differ from that observed with the AC source.
Precautions:
- Handle the electrical connections with care to avoid any electric shock.
- Make sure the coil is securely wound and fixed to the wooden base.
- Ensure that the metal ring used is non-magnetic to avoid interference with the experiment.
Lesson Learnt from Experiment:
This experiment demonstrates the principle of electromagnetism, where a magnetic field is produced around a coil when an electric current flows through it.
The levitation of the metal ring illustrates how electromagnets can exert a magnetic force on nearby objects. Additionally, the different behaviors observed with AC and DC sources highlight the significance of the alternating nature of AC current in generating a varying magnetic field.
