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Magnet and Compass

Ever wonder how a compass worked to point you to the Arctic? Explore the interactions between a compass and bar magnet, and then add the earth and find the surprising answer! Vary the magnet's strength, and see how things change both inside and outside. Use the field meter to measure how the magnetic field changes.

 
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Version 2.02
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Topics Teaching Ideas Software Requirements Translated Versions Credits

Topics

Main Topics

  • Magnetic Field
  • Magnet
  • Compass

Related Topics

Sample Learning Goals

  • Predict the direction of the magnet field for different locations around a bar magnet
  • Relate magnetic field strength to distance quantitatively and qualitatively
  • Describe how the earth's magnet field relates to a bar magnet

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Teaching Ideas

Tips for Teachers

There is no teacher's guide for this simulation.

Ideas and Activities for this Sim

There are 2 contributions listed.

Ascending Sort (Z-A)Title Author Level Type Updated
Magnetic Field Investigation A. SokolowskiHSLab11/08
Magnets-Introduction (Inquiry Based) Designed by PhET IconImage of Gold StarT. LoebleinHSLab8/09

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Software Requirements

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Windows Systems Macintosh Systems Linux Systems
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later
 OS 10.4.11 or later
Apple Java 1.5.0_19 or later
 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

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Translated Versions

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Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson
  • Chris Malley (developer)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow
  • Interviewer: Archie Paulson
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