For this investigation, is it the Battery or the Coils of Wire carrying a current that are behaving like a magnet? (Hint: Use the magnetic field and compass to help you decide.)
Based on your description, it sounds like you're conducting an experiment that involves investigating magnetic fields and their sources. The setup likely involves a battery, coils of wire, a compass, and possibly other materials.
To determine whether it's the battery or the coils of wire carrying a current that are behaving like a magnet, you can follow these steps:
1. **Observe the Compass without Power**: Start by placing the compass near the battery without the circuit being completed and observe if there is any deflection of the compass needle. If there is no deflection, it suggests that the battery by itself is not creating a detectable magnetic field that affects the compass.
2. **Power the Coils**: Next, connect the coils of wire to the battery to allow electric current to flow through them, creating an electromagnet.
3. **Compass Interaction with Coils**: Observe the compass needle when it's brought near the coils of wire with current flowing through them. If the compass needle deflects or aligns itself with a particular direction, it indicates that the coils of wire carrying an electric current are generating a magnetic field.
The magnetic effect is due to the principle of electromagnetism, discovered by Hans Christian Oersted, which states that an electric current passing through a conductor (in this case, coils of wire) creates a magnetic field around it. The strength of the magnetic field is proportional to the current and the number of turns in the coil.
The compass reacts to the magnetic field, and its needle—which is itself a magnet—will align with the magnetic field lines. Thus, if the compass needle moves significantly only when the coils are powered, then it is the coils of wire carrying a current that are behaving like a magnet, not the battery itself.
Keep in mind that while a battery does contain magnetic materials and may have a weak magnetic field due to the movement of electrons, it typically is not strong enough to be detected by a compass in a simple classroom experiment. Conversely, the electric current through the coils creates a much more significant magnetic field that can easily be detected by the compass.