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Describe how a student can determine the shape of the magnetic field around the solenoid - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 4
Describe how a student can determine the shape of the magnetic field around the solenoid. (b) A student investigates the magnetic properties of three rods. Each rod... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe how a student can determine the shape of the magnetic field around the solenoid - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe how a student can determine the shape of the magnetic field around the solenoid.
Answer
To determine the shape of the magnetic field around a solenoid, the student can use small magnetic compasses. By placing the compass at various points around the solenoid while current is flowing through it, the student can observe the direction of the compass needle, which aligns with the magnetic field lines. By marking the direction at several locations, the student can sketch the magnetic field lines, visualizing the shape of the magnetic field around the solenoid.
Step 2
A student investigates the magnetic properties of three rods.
Answer
The student can determine the magnetic properties of the rods by following these steps:
- Setup the Experiment: Place each rod (soft iron, steel, and wood) one at a time inside the solenoid, which is connected to a direct current power supply.
- Power On: Switch on the power supply briefly to activate the magnetic field.
- Testing Magnetic Strength: After switching on the power, carefully observe how many paper clips each rod can pick up.
- Record Results: Count and record the number of paper clips that each type of rod can lift. The soft iron rod is expected to pick up more clips due to its high magnetic permeability, followed by steel, while the wood rod should pick up very few or none, demonstrating its non-magnetic nature.