How to Make an Electro Magnet with a D Battery

Making an electro magnet with a D battery is a fun and interesting procedure, requiring a small knowledge of the mechanics of magnetism, polarity and electrical currents. Follow these easy instructions to create your own electromagnet.

Step 1 – Prepare Your Work Space

Make sure your entire work area is clean and tidy. Clear any surfaces you use of junk or extra items, sweep the floor and close all nearby cabinets.

Also, double check that you do not have any extra metal on your body, including any jewelry on your fingers, ears, neck, face, belly button or any other part of your body or any clips in your hair.  You do not know for certain what the reaction will be between the magnet and any metal, so be prepared.

Step 2 – Get Your Materials Set Up

Lay out the materials that are essential to the project. This should include the penny nail, battery, wire cutter, copper wire and gloves or glasses if you deem them necessary.

Measure out about 3 meters of the copper wire. Use your wire cutters to strip the wire of its insulation on both ends. This will ensure the best connection between wire and battery.

Step 3 – Wrap the Penny Nail

Begin wrapping the penny nail with the copper wire. Do this all in the same direction, as the direction of a magnetic field depends on the direction of the electric current going through it. If you wrap the wire in opposite directions, the electrical currents will fight against each other, ultimately canceling each other out.

Wrap the wire 50 times around the penny nail. This will ensure you will be in control of your magnet, although you can add more wire later, making the magnet stronger.

Step 4 – Attach the Wire to the Battery

Your battery will have two sides, one marked with a plus sign, another marked with a minus sign. These are what give the battery its polarity. Wrap one end of the wire around the positive side and the other end around the negative side of the battery (marked with minus sign). It does not matter what end of the wire you connect to which pole. You should now have a fully functioning magnet.