The following site might be a good place to look for some help:
http://www.state.sd.us/deca/DDN4Learnin ... ts/magnet/
1. How does an electromagnet work? - Current flows through the magentic increasing the effect of the magnetic field that is generated. Strength of the field is proportionate to the current applied.
"Maxwell developed four equations relating electric and magnetic phenomenon based on four of the laws that we have introduced to you in the Lessons: Coulomb's Law, which shows that an electric field is generated by a charge; Gauss' Law, which implies that Coulomb force can only act between the dipoles of a magnetic field; Faraday's Law of Induction, which states that a changing magnetic field generates an electric current; and Ampère's Law, which explains the relationship between a magnetic field and an electric field or changing electric current. In effect, these four laws show two, two-way relationships. The first relationship shows the difference between electric fields generated by charges and magnetic fields around a dipole. The second relationship shows that changing magnetic fields can generate electric currents (or electric fields), and electric currents can generate magnetic fields."
2. Is there such a thing as a magnetic pendulum? If so... YES
3. How does it work? Here is a project based on a pendulum with a magnet on the end and several other magnets along its path.:
http://www.apollowebworks.com/russell/a ... rview.html
"The magnetic pendulum is a simple toy which demonstrates the principle of chaos. It consists of a small plastic base with an overhanging pendulum attached which can swing freely in a spherical area. At the end of this pendulum is a small magnet.
On the base of the toy are three other magnets which can be moved freely about the surface. These magnets may also be flipped over to the other side, causing an attractive or repellent force acting on the pendulum.
When the pendulum is pushed and released, it tends to swing in an extremely chaotic manner. Since the force exerted by each magnet falls off in correspondence with the cube of the distance (see the math section), the pendulum experiences unpredictable forces as it moves through the magnetic fields from the base."
4. What is a magnetic field?
5. How does a magnet work? Ferromagnetism depends on the atoms of the material, such as iron, being aligned so the electrons all spin on the same plane and same direction to make a "magnetic field" instead of cancelling each other out as they would if they were randomly arranged. For example you can use a magnet or electricity to magnetize a steel or iron. by aligning the atoms. The