Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,

My 9 year old is doing the project Spin Right Round. He is just starting but has a few questions. First, he wants to know if the red and blue wires that came attached to the battery holders need to be attached to anything like the axel support? If not, what does he do with them? Also, he would like to know if he could place the battery holder on its side, with the battery in it, and then glue the magnet to the top plastic side of the battery holder instead of having the magnet lay on top of the battery. Finally, he wants to know if he can hot glue plastic beads to the knot or next to the knot he makes on the coiled loops of wire. He saw this in another help video while he was doing his research. Thanks so much for your help!

Hello and welcome to the forums!

The battery terminals need to be attached to the axle supports. Remember that it's important that the coil wire ends be stripped of insulation on one side only. The circuit is from one battery terminal, through the axle support, 1/2 the time through the coil and back through the other axle support to the other battery terminal.

I would think you can put the magnet anywhere you want, as long as it's beneath the coil (and the coil is close to it, but not touching it.)

It sounds like the beads in the video are performing the same function as the knot in this experiment, just keeping the wires together. Be careful with hot glue on the coil wires. You don't want the heat to melt the wire insulation. I would stick with the knot only.

Keith