Magnetic field viewer

See http://amasci.com/electrom/statbotl.html

Suspended steel filaments make three-dimensional magnetic fields visible.

I came up with this one for the Electronics exhibit at Museum of Science, but it ended up as a build-it device for science teachers.

I also discovered that baby oil slowly pushes its way through glued plexiglas joints. If you build an 8" cube of thick plexiglas and fill it with baby oil, a few months later you notice that it's half empty! And the other half is soaked into all the books on the shelf below! AND IT'S A SHELF IN A COLLEAGUE'S OFFICE!!! :)

.

Lots more stuff at SCIENCE HOBBYIST http://amasci.com/unew.html

.

Note: Trolls & spammers blocked immediately. Zero tolerance.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• magnet
• magnetic
• field
• fields
• physics
• science
• demonstration
• demo

[jolyzakaria]

can please tell me in which liquid u may not see the magnetic field in ?

[wbeaty]

@jolyzakaria opaque ink or paint won't work (can't see.)

Most liquids will work, but oil won't rust the steel.

[muffinroxs101]

Why does this work? EXPLAIN NOW

[wbeaty]

@muffinroxs101 iron fibers always show the invisible pattern of a magnetic field. First each iron fiber becomes a magnet. Then the magnetic force causes it to twist until it aligns with the stronger field.

If iron fibers are falling slowly through oil, they'll show you a 3-dimensional magnetic field pattern.

[xXPikachiuXx]

why baby oil?

[wbeaty]

@xXPikachiuXx Any oil works. But this way you get a small bottle with flat clear sides, for free!

[wbeaty]

@Shiqna1 Actually you are seing magnetic field patterns. The fields contributed by the fibers are very weak compared to the field from the magnet. The main point is that the fibers align themselves parallel to the local flux; that way their own field isn't important. The patterns made by the fibers look almost identical to the actual field patterns. But real fields are smooth and have no "lines," they only have direction.

[DonWilliamsANA]

magnetic fields as well as electricity moves in a double helix

[muffinroxs101]

@wbeaty thank you so much

[L33T3AM]

he talks proper look at captions 

[onlymarkers]

mola mazo tronco!

[muffinroxs101]

@wbeaty thanks alot

[flappy188]

you blew your WAD!!!!

[CheshireCatFun]

@JamalBCHES220 Such is the nature of the internet. It's amazing how tough and forthright someone is when hiding behind a screen-name and computer monitor. Your point is very well taken.