Permanent magnets are factory-created and will never lose their magnetism. Another type of permanent magnet is magnetite. Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is a naturally magnetic mineral. To begin a project about magnets, provide an array of magnets of different sizes and strengths for students to see which metallic items are magnetic and which are not attracted to magnets. A metal must contain iron, nickel or cobalt to be attracted to a magnet.
Temporary magnets project a magnetic field for a short time. Items that contain iron can be temporarily magnetized. One way to do this is by using electricity to create an electromagnet. Another method is to use a strong magnet to magnetize an object that contains iron.
Creating a temporary magnet only requires a few supplies. You will need a strong magnet, such as a bar or horseshoe magnet. Small, decorative magnets are not strong enough to produce the desired results. Other materials needed are an iron nail and small metal objects, such as paperclips or staples. Take the bar or horseshoe magnet and stroke it quickly in one direction along the nail. Start at the top of the nail and rub the magnet the entire length. You will need to make at least 50 strokes in one direction to magnetize the nail. Each stroke of the magnet will help to align the electrons in the nail. After 50 strokes, hold the nail above the small metal items.
Creating an electromagnet requires a source of electricity, wires to conduct the electricity and an item containing iron to be magnetized. Two D cell batteries will produce enough electricity to magnetize a nail. Place the batteries in battery holders that are connected. Next, tightly coil the wire around the nail. Wrapping the wire tightly around the nail with no gaps between the coils will produce a stronger magnetic field. Leave several inches of wire on each end of the nail. Use alligator clips to connect the wires from the batteries to the wires on the nail. The nail will now be magnetized.