Cool Experiments with Magnets
This web site is devoted to magnetism and the cool experiments you can do with permanent magnets and electro-magnets. Some of the experiments are very basic - things you've done since third grade. Others are unique - perhaps you hadn't thought of doing some of these before, or had difficulty in trying to set them up. Lists of the materials needed for the demonstrations, directions on how to assemble them, instructions on how to show them, and notes on how they work are all here for you. Also shown are several cool magnetic toys you can buy. Of course, there are also links to useful sites, articles, videos, animations, sources and books on magnets. The list below is an index into this site to help you quickly find what you are looking for. In addition, there is a site-search at the beginning and end of this index for detailed searches of this site.
Have fun with hands-on experiments!
ABOUT THE MAGNETMAN In 1989, we launched our black and white photo magnets, and today we not only produce photo magnets, but 4×6 and 5×7 photos and magazine covers. Our new printers, and state-of the-art software allows us to produce photos faster. Musician originally from Barbados and now based out of the UK and Spain. Runs the label Magnetic Image Records and publishing company Magnetic Image Music Publishing Inc. Along with his wife. Magnet Man's Stage, is a mechanical masterpiece covered in all sorts of wires, conductors and batteries. Although no parts of the stage itself will magnetically pull players around, the Mag Flies hovering above various parts of the stage will be happy to! Anyone standing under one will be quickly pulled up into it, which is often necessary to navigate the level's tall ledges 1 Layout 2.
Rick Hoadley
(For other cool toys and puzzles, check this out!)
This site is at http://www.coolmagnetman.com
Last updated: 5 June 2020. More to come! Here's what's new.
Wherever you see , that means that at the underlined link there is some kind of experiment you can buy or build which will help you learn about the world of magnetism.
- Safety Considerations IMPORTANT!
- How do magnets really work?NEW!
- What really is a magnetic field?NEW!
- What is a magnet?
- History
- Ferromagnetism
- Diamagnetism
- Paramagnetism
- What are magnets used for?
- Permanent magnets
- Temporary magnets
- Electromagnets
- Materials used for permanent magnets
- Shapes
- How are magnets made?
- What does the inside of a magnet look like?
- Magnetization configurations
- Material
- Temperature
- Demagnetizing fields
- Physical impact
- The care and feeding of your magnet
- Experiment
- Flip-flopping poles
- Earth
- Sun
- Planets
- Meteorite Dust
- Atomic Magnetism
- Magnetic Domains
- Magnetic Poles
- How much energy does a magnet store?NEW!
- Metals
- Minerals
- Black Sand
- Ferrofluids
- Other Objects (vcr tapes, dollar bills, floppy disks, iron in cereal)
- Problems with 2 and 3 unknown rods
- Typical values
- Measuring the strength of magnets
- Hall effect devices
- Magnetometer
- Paper clips and BBs
- Answers to the rod problems
- What creates the magnetic field?
- What is the relationship between current flow and magnetic fields?
- A word about conventions regarding the direction of current and field lines
- What do we know about magnetic field lines?
- What are magnetic fields made of?
- Visualizing magnetic fields
- How can I visualize a magnetic field?
- Helmholtz coils
- Halbach Array
- Can I make one big North pole?
- Magnets in MotionReally Cool Animations!
- Morpho Towers
- Protrude, Flow
- Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow
- Bruce Gray
- Sisyphus
- Wooden Mirror
- Magnetic Sculpture Kits
- Magnetic Sculpture
- Robert Hodgin
- Magnetic Rag
- Pe Lang
- Necklaces and magnets
- How can you shield a magnet?
- A science fair project
- Twelve Fundamentals of MagnetismNEW!
- Terms and definitions
- Conversions
- Equations and calculations
- Lenz's Law
- Faraday's Law of Induction
- Maxwell's Equations
- Designing magnetic circuitsNEW!
- Do magnetic fields affect biological organisms?
- Navigating with magnets
- Magnetic Marbles
- Mysterious Magnet Tube
- Magnetic Field Viewer
- Iron Filing Case
- Magnetic Wands
- Magnetic Sculptures
- Roger's Connection
- Geomag or Supermag
- Make-Your-Own Sculptures
- Joe Bender
- Magnetic Space Wheel
- Wizmo XT
- Spiraculum and Radiaculum
- Orbitron
- Magnetizer / Demagnetizer
- Horseshoe Magnet
- Magnetic Pick-Up Tool
- Magnetic Mysteries Set
- Magic Pennies
- Magnet Man
- The Funny Thing Oscillator
- Luna Balls
- Hooks
- GeoShapes
- Magnetic Drawing Board
- Magnetic Push-Pins
- AcroBots
- Eureka 3D Puzzle
- GeoKube
- Spin-A-Mag
- Buckyballs Magnetic Spheres
- Magnetic Chess
- Flexible Magnetic Ant
- Magnetic Hourglass
- Miniature Levitating Hoverboard
- Tie Mags
- Magnatab
- Magnetic clamp set
- Magnetic Drawing Board
- Magnetic Putty
- Magnetron
- Revolution
- Levitron
- Super Levitron
- Levitron Perpetuator
- MagnaSwing
- Decision Maker, ROMP
- Magnetic Earrings
- Magnaprobe and Magnetic Earth
- Seal and Ball
- Moo Magnet
- Perpetual Calendar
- Diamagnetic Levitator
- Magnetoids or Uber Orbs
- Magnet Stones
- Dipole Dilemma - Magnetic Puzzle
- Extravaganza Puzzle Globe
- Balancing Pen
- Polarity Game
- Ball of Whacks
- Mag-Jig
- Bucky Balls
- Bucky Cubes
- Nano Dots - Spinning Magnetic Orbs
Magnet Manager
- What is an electromagnet?
- Winding a coil
- Transformers
- Jacob's Ladder
- Battery Powered Electromagnet
- The Plank
- Audio Speakers
- Make A Speaker!
- An Easy Electromagnet Experiment
- A Pair of Electromagnets on a Yoke
- A DC Electromagnet
- Doorbells
- Battery TrainNEW!
- Top Secret
- Space Wheel
- Kinetic Chaos
- Plasma Ball
- Dynamo Flashlight
- 'Forever' Flashlight
- Motion
- Battery Operated Electromagnet
- Zero-Gravity Levitator
- Floating Globe
- Hovering Bumble Bee
- LED Gyroscope Top (Perpetual Top)
- Cupid's Arrow
- Levitating Globe
- MOVA Globe
- Levitron World Stage
- Zeltom Electromagnetic Levitation System (emls)
- Ferroflow
- What happens when a wire moves with respect to a magnetic field?
- Tethers in space
- What happens when a wire carrying current is within a magnetic field?
- Types of Motors
- A DC Motor
- A Simple DC Motor
- Maxwell's Motor
- Homopolar Motor
- A Brushless DC Motor Kit
- A Very Simple AC Motor
- A 3-Phase AC Motor Demonstrator
- Linear Motors
- YouTube Videos and AnimationsNEW!
- Build your own Gaussmeter
- An inexpensive Gaussmeter
- A slightly more expensive Gaussmeter
- Magnets and Kits
- Hardware
- Toys
- Software
- YouTube Videos and AnimationsNEW!
- Magnets in the NewsNEW!
- Resources for Teachers
- Have a Question?
- Need a Consultant for a Special Project?
- Magnetic Levitation
- Magnet Demonstrations
- Other Physics Demos
- Virtual Physics Labs
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Magnets
- The Science of Magnets, Magnetic Design
- Discovering Electricity and Magnetism
- Pioneers in Electromagnetism
- Science Museums Worth Visiting
Magnetic Manhole Lid Remover
Live demonstrations- Outline of presentation
- Professional background
- If you are a museum or school interested in building or purchasing a copy of an exhibit similar to one seen on this web site, please drop me a note! I do not have ready made kits of these.
- Do you have any additions or suggestions for other ideas or experiments that should be mentioned here or linked here? Let me know what you think. Drop me a note!
- If you would like to reference any of the information contained in this Magnet Man web site, please add the following to your bibliography or list of credits:
Hoadley, Rick. 'Magnet Man'. http://www.coolmagnetman.com 1998-2017
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since June, 1998.Magnet Mania
See a plot of the number of hits vs date since June, 1998.
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Britannica.com has given this site a THREE STAR rating and is listed first in their Web's Best Sites under magnets!
SciLinks selected the pages on Copper Pipes and the Pendulum as resource links.
Magnet Man
Schoolzone has again awarded this site 'Highly Recommended for Educational Usefulness' in 2010.