Some Planets are Giant Magnets

Some Planets are Giant Magnets

Open Ended

Why is earth's magnet field so important?

Scientists are still working hard at better understanding what causes Earth's magnetic field

Multiple Choice

What part of the earth generates our magnetic field?

• Atmosphere

• Surface

• Plate tectonics

• Core

Multiple Choice

Why doesn't Mars have a strong magnetic field?

• It doesn't have a metal core

• It doesn't have an atmosphere

• Its metal core is not moving

• It is a scientific mystery

Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field

Magnetic field

Earth's magnetic field has a shape similar to a bar magnet like the ones in class. However the average magnet is about 20 times STRONGER than the earth's magnetic field.

What do you notice about the shape of the magnetic field lines?

Open Ended

The previous two videos used slow motion videos of strong magnets and iron filings to help us see a magnetic field in 3D. What did you notice about the shape of the field? Was it similar to a planet's magnetic field or different?

Multiple Choice

Which has a stronger magnetic field?

• The earth

• A magnet in science class

Where do magnets come from?

Magnets can be natural like this lodestone in the picture. They can also be artificial like the ones you buy at a store.

Electromagnets

• It is also possible to use electricity to make temporary magnets

• Just like the moving metal core of a planet, electricity moving through coiled wire also creates a magnetic field

• We will learn more about these next week.

Open Ended

What questions do you still have about magnets and how they work?

Open Ended

The previous video shows a crane being used to move heavy metal around. Why do you think the crane uses an electromagnet instead of a regular one?

Not all materials are magnetic

• Only a few kinds of metal are actually magnetic: Iron, nickel, cobalt and steel

• All other metals aren't magnetic like aluminum, copper, lead and brass

• Other materials like wood, plastic or fabric also are not magnetic

Multiple Choice

Could you use a magnetic crane to move plastics?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Could you use a magnetic crane to move iron nails?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Could you use a magnet to find gold nuggets?

• Yes

• No