Move a virtual compass around a bar magnet to predict the magnetic field for different locations around the magnet. Use the magnetic field meter to calculate field strength-to-distance both qualitatively and quantitatively. Next, click to superimpose Planet Earth over the bar magnet and see the surprising results in the orientation of the poles! (This model is designed to promote understanding of the Earth as a giant magnet that follows the rules governing magnetic fields. The compass needle points to magnetic north from whatever position it is located in the field.) Note to Teachers: Recent physics education research indicates that introducing a simulation such as this is best done BEFORE an activity where students visualize magnetic fields using iron filings. See "Misconceptions" tab for more information.

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Fantastic way for your students to form conceptual understanding of the behavior of charged particles from the sun interacting with magnetic fields around them. The goal of the game is to guide your high-energy proton golf balls through different holes on a golf course (magnetic field configurations) to sink your putt. Key Takeaways: 1) Protons can orbit around magnetic field lines but can't cross them; 2) Earth's magnetic field configuration deflects most of the solar wind particles; 3) Electric fields can cause protons to "drift" across magnetic lines; 4) The solar wind stretches Earth's dipole into a tail; 5) Waves in Earth's magnetic field can knock particles into the polar regions; 6) Speed of the particle doesn't matter -- its drift is controlled by the strength of electric and magnetic fields. Try this activity before introducing energy in a solar flare eruption. Includes a quiz at the end of the game.

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This 3-minute YouTube video from Magnetic Games features an inexpensive ferrofluid mixed with mineral oil to create a stunning visualization of magnetic field lines produced by various magnets. Ferrofluid produces much more clarity than the traditional iron filings demo. Watch how the field changes when two magnets repel or attract. Then view how an LED strip is able to highlight the rotation of the magnetic particles. The ferrofluid also promotes understanding of magnetic fields as 3D. Caveat! Ferrofluids are very messy and will permanently stain clothing. We suggest you have the ferrofluid mixture prepared and spread in advance on the acrylic sheets.

This video is part of a larger collection of resources authored and published by MagneticGames.eu.

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This high school lesson module from UC-Berkeley features four turn-key activities to promote understanding of magnetic fields on the Sun, the relationship between sunspots and solar flares, magnetic energy in solar flares, and measuring energy of a solar flare. In each lesson, students view and interpret authentic data and/or image sets from NASA missions with mathematics is integrated throughout. The Final Project asks students to present and defend the findings from their investigations in a "conference" modeled on scientific symposia. Each activity includes background information, lab procedures, printable student worksheets, detailed rubrics, and Power Point slides.

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This 3-part lesson package for Grades 10-12 school integrates math and physics as students perform an experiment to measure the relative intensity of a magnetic field as a function of distance. Based on findings that utilize their own data, students create mathematical models and use the models to calculate the magnetic field strength at the edge of a magnet. Next, they plot the results and use online tools to generate a line of best fit. Required materials for each group include: magnetic and nonmagnetic materials, neodymium magnet, modeling clay, compass, and access to a semi-log plot or Microsoft Excel. Teachers-this lesson is quite robust. You can consider it FULLY classroom-ready. It contains detailed warm-up exercise, front-loaded vocabulary, step-by-step procedures, magnetic field equations handouts, tutorials on doing calculations, rubrics, assessment and answer key for teachers.

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