Students attempted to use the setup shown above to demonstrate how an electromagnet works. They attempted to attract the paper clip up off of a table surface to the iron nail, but the paper clip did not move from its position on the table. Which statement correctly describes the forces acting on the paper clip when it failed to move?
A.
The magnetic force applied to the paper clip was insufficient to overcome the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip.
B.
There were no forces acting on the paper clip.
C.
The frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip were too weak compared with the stronger magnetic force applied to the paper clip.
D.
The only force acting on the paper clip was a magnetic force.
A. The magnetic force applied to the paper clip was insufficient to overcome the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip.
The correct statement is A. The magnetic force applied to the paper clip was insufficient to overcome the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip.
To determine the correct statement that describes the forces acting on the paper clip, we need to analyze the situation.
First, let's consider the setup. An electromagnet consists of an iron nail wrapped with wire, which creates a magnetic field when electric current is passed through the wire. The paper clip is made of metal, which can be attracted to the iron nail when the electromagnet is active.
Now, let's evaluate the options:
A. The magnetic force applied to the paper clip was insufficient to overcome the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip.
This statement suggests that there are other forces acting on the paper clip, such as friction and gravity, which are opposing the magnetic force. It is possible that the magnetic force alone was not strong enough to overcome these opposing forces.
B. There were no forces acting on the paper clip.
This statement is incorrect. If there were no forces acting on the paper clip, it would be floating freely in space and not affected by gravity or friction.
C. The frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip were too weak compared with the stronger magnetic force applied to the paper clip.
This statement suggests that the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip were weaker compared to the magnetic force. It implies that the magnetic force alone should have been able to move the paper clip.
D. The only force acting on the paper clip was a magnetic force.
This statement suggests that the only force acting on the paper clip is the magnetic force. It disregards the existence of other forces like friction and gravity.
Based on the analysis, the correct statement that describes the forces acting on the paper clip is A. The magnetic force applied to the paper clip was insufficient to overcome the frictional and gravitational forces acting on the paper clip.