A student connects a battery to a wire and wraps the wire around an iron nail to produce an electromagnet. Which action should the student take to increase the number of paper clips the electromagnet can pick up?

Question

A. He should replace the iron nail with a plastic spoon
B. He should reduce the number of turns
C. He should decrease the current through the wire
D. He should add another battery

Answer 1

To increase the number of paper clips the electromagnet can pick up, the student should take action that enhances the strength of the magnetic field produced by the electromagnet.

Among the options given:

A. Replacing the iron nail with a plastic spoon would decrease the effectiveness of the electromagnet, as plastic is not a magnetic material.

B. Reducing the number of turns would also lessen the strength of the magnetic field, making the electromagnet less effective.

C. Decreasing the current through the wire would reduce the strength of the electromagnet, which is not desirable if the goal is to pick up more paper clips.

D. Adding another battery would increase the current flowing through the wire, thus strengthening the magnetic field and improving the electromagnet's ability to pick up more paper clips.

Therefore, the correct action to take is:

D. He should add another battery.