Key Terms Defined
- Electromagnet
- A magnet that gets its force of attraction from an electric current flowing through a wire
- Magnetic field
- The area around a magnet where its force can be detected
- Polarity
- The two areas (north pole and south pole) of the magnet where the magnetic force is the strongest
When a current flows through a coil of wire, the coil becomes an electromagnet. The direction of the current determines the polarity of the magnetic field. One side of the coil becomes the north pole, and the opposite side becomes the south pole. As with all magnets, opposite magnetic poles attract and like magnetic poles repel. The magnet pile placed under the coil attracts its opposite pole on the coil and repels its like pole, causing the coil to spin.
- Museum Hours
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- Monday – Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Open every day except Christmas Day
- Museum Location
- Getting Here
More Exhibits
- Exhibit
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Navy: Technology at Sea
Come abroad a Navy ship and learn the science and technology behind the U.S. military at sea.