A student built a simple electromagnet with copper wire, an iron bolt, and a 1.5-volt battery. The electromagnet was able to lift a paper clip from 3 centimeters away. Select THREE ways the student can increase the strength of his electromagnet.

Question

A.
He can use a thicker piece of copper wire.

B.
He can reverse the orientation of the battery.

C.
He can replace the iron bolt with a wooden rod.

D.
He can add a switch between the battery and the iron bolt.

E.
He can replace the 1.5-volt battery with a battery of higher voltage.

F.
He can use a longer piece of wire that wraps more times around the bolt.

what is the correct option?(s)

Answer 1

The correct options are A, F, and E.

A. He can use a thicker piece of copper wire: Increasing the thickness of the wire will decrease its electrical resistance, allowing for more current flow and therefore increasing the strength of the electromagnet.

F. He can use a longer piece of wire that wraps more times around the bolt: Increasing the number of turns in the coil will increase the number of magnetic field lines produced, thus increasing the strength of the electromagnet.

E. He can replace the 1.5-volt battery with a battery of higher voltage: Increasing the voltage will increase the current flowing through the wire and therefore increase the strength of the electromagnet.