To spread the joy of science, GSK Science in the Summer is sharing an assortment of activities from its Physical Science and Electricity curriculum – activities that you can do in your very own home.
Please note: for optimum safety, an adult should be present during all experiments, and children should wear safety glasses when conducting experiments at home and schools.
Adventures with MagnetsPeople have been using magnets for thousands of years – they were even used by ancient Greek and Chinese civilizations. We still use magnets today for a variety of different applications, from refrigerator decorations to compasses to electric motors.
Three metals are known to be magnetic: iron, cobalt, and nickel.
Magnets have two poles, South and North. A magnetic field extends outwards from these two poles, surrounding the magnet. A magnetic field is a force that causes magnets to either attract or repel other magnets within this field.
The following activities will allow young scientists to explore how magnets work:
Equipped with a magnet, young scientists can go for a treasure hunt around the house. Ask them to search for objects that are attracted to the magnet, and discuss possible reasons these objects have this attraction.
Using a strong magnet as a base and paperclips as blocks, young scientists can build small structures. What happens when they try to build these structures without the magnet as a base?
Ask the young scientist to place a magnetic object (like one of those found during the treasure hunt) on a surface, such as a table or book. Then instruct them to place the magnet on the other side of the surface, beneath the object. As they move the magnet around, they will see the object move as well.
