What is a good science project for a 4th grader that has to do with magnets and electricity?

Question

I am looking for something she can do mostly on her own that is interesting and fun.

Answer 1

You Could do a buzzer....
9 feet of PVC-covered wire with both ends stripped
iron or steel bolt
modeling clay
an empty thread spool
steel nail file
rubber band
scissors
plastic tape
thick cardboard
soda can
switch
4.5 volt battery


What you do:
Firmly wrap the wire around the bolt 200 times (leaving both ends of the wire loose). Use the clay to fix the bolt to the cardboard. Turn the spool on its side and attach the handle of the nail file to it with the rubber band. Using the scissors, scrape away the paint at the base of both sides of the can. Tape one end of the wire to the metal part of the nail file, and attach the spool to the cardboard with clay. Cut the two wires. Attach one end to the battery and the scraped part of the can, and the other to the battery and the switch. Stick the can to the cardboard with modeling clay and touch the other scraped part of the can with the nail file. Connect the switch and press it. The can gives off a loud buzz. The vibrating nail file repeatedly strikes the can. Both the buzz and the nail file stop when you release the switch.

how it workz?
The buzzer uses magnetism to make a loud sound. Electricity flows from the battery through the can and into the nail file. Every time the nail file hits the can, electricity flows through it to the electromagnet formed by the bolt and wire, through the switch, and back to the battery. The electromagnet pulls the file away from the can. As a result, the electricity stops, and the nail file springs back, striking the can again and setting everything in motion once more. It's the movement of the electromagnet that makes the buzzing sound.

Answer 2

A simple doorbell or buzzer powered by a 9 volt battery. You can pick up an inexpensive buzzer at Radio Shack. Then you can make a series circuit with the buzzer, a switch, and a battery.

The buzzer is basically an electromagnet. When you apply voltage the coil of wire gets magnetized and pulls a hammer down which chimes a bell. As the hammer moves down it breaks electrical contact, but still enough has momentum to strike the bell or noisemaker. Becuase there is no electrical current the hammer moves back into its resting position at which point it makes electrical contact and the whole process starts over again. This is why you get a continuous buzzing sound from a buzzer.

Answer 3

Make an electric motor. It takes a few nails, and a piece of metal to act as the rotor, and a 9 volt dc battery.

I did this in 4th grade and still have the finished project!!!

I hope this helps,

Lonnie

Answer 4

Constructing a buzzer is a good idea. It demonstrates the principles of electromagnetism. A telegraph will demonstrate it as well and may be a bit easier to build. The telegraph has the added advantage of bringing communication into the mix.

Answer 5

Sprinkle iron filings on a piece of glass and put a strong magnets underneath. You can then place another glass on top and trace effects field on paper or use as a demonstration project.
http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Magnetism/magneticfields.htm
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/1518

Answer 6

Two wires, a coil (you can do this yourself with a third wire, a crank, a coil, and a small light bulb (depending on the size of your coil.
Coil your wire, attach another on it to the light bulb, attach wire to crank and magnet and to other end of light bulb.
Insert magnet into crank, turn.
Watch light alight, and watch you get shocked because I forgot to tell you to use gloves.

Answer 7

you need to objective . . "Whose mouth is cleanser, a canine's mouth or a human's mouth?" (undergo in suggestions the regulations of the honest and if mildew is authorized etc) start up off with 4 petri dishes crammed with gelatin. Then take a swab of your mouth, yet another persons mouth, a canine's mouth and yet another canine's mouth. placed those all in separate petri dishes. Then noted the upward thrust of different molds and fungus on the swabs over a three weeks era. Sounds gross besides the undeniable fact that it is exciting and infants are involved . . . It has a "delusion-busters" vibe to it and that i could say it is a variety of "dental test."

Answer 8

Make a lightbulb light up? Not sure if you need a magnet to do that or not though.

Here's some ideas:
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/electromagnet.html
http://www.scienceproject.com/projects/intro/elementary/EX010.asp

Answer 9

School science/Demonstrating the effects of amylases on starch.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/School_science/Demonstrating_the_effects_of_amylases_on_starch
.......Below link has 34 ideas..........
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Category:School_science

We keep this link "bookmarked" for my 5th grade granddaughter.
I just found this link..........
http://sci-toys.com/index.html