Measuring the strength of a magnet

Activity: How Many Paper Clips Can Your Magnet Hold?

Materials Needed

1. A magnet.
2. A box of paper clips.
3. A ruler.

Instructions

1. Set Up Your Experiment

• Place your magnet on a flat surface.
• Gather your paper clips in a pile nearby.

2. Test the Magnet’s Strength

• Slowly bring the magnet close to the paper clips and let it pick them up.
• Keep adding paper clips until no more stick to the magnet.

3. Count the Clips

• Count the number of paper clips your magnet can hold before they start to fall off.

4. Compare with Other Magnets

• Try this activity with different magnets. Which one can hold the most paper clips?
• Record the results to compare their strengths.

5. Try Different Distances

• Use a ruler to measure the distance at which your magnet starts pulling the paper clips toward it.
• Record and compare the results for different magnets.