Contextualization

Physics is a field of knowledge that seeks to understand the fundamental laws that govern the universe. One of these laws is that of the magnetic field, a physical phenomenon that has implications both in everyday life and in advanced technologies. Within this theme, the study of the magnetic field generated by a coil is of fundamental importance.

The magnetic field generated by a coil is directly related to the principles of electromagnetism, a branch of physics that deals with the interaction between electricity and magnetism. Understanding this concept is crucial to understanding how many of the devices we use daily, such as electric motors and power generators, work.

By understanding this subject, students acquire the ability to visualize and understand the operation of a magnetic field, as well as to calculate its magnitude and direction. In addition, the study of the magnetic field generated by a coil will prepare them for more advanced topics, such as the Earth's magnetic field and the generation of electrical energy.

Importance of the Topic

The concepts related to the magnetic field generated by a coil are fundamental to the understanding of many aspects of the modern world. From the simple compass, through electric motors, power transmission lines, speakers, and even magnetic resonance, all of these are examples of technologies that depend on the understanding of the magnetic field.

Furthermore, the study of magnetic fields and their behavior is an intense research area, with applications in various fields of science and technology. For example, understanding the Earth's magnetic field is crucial to understanding phenomena such as the auroras borealis and the magnetic fields of other planets.

Through this activity, students will have the opportunity to concretely apply the theoretical concepts studied, in a context where they can visualize the practical effect of these concepts.

Activity

Title: Measuring the Magnetic Field of a Coil

Project Objective:

The objective of this project is to allow students to explore the concept of the magnetic field generated by a coil practically and experimentally. Through this experiment, students will be able to verify and understand how variations in electric current intensity and the number of turns of the coil affect the intensity of the generated magnetic field.

Detailed Project Description:

For this project, students should build a coil using enameled copper wire and a cylindrical object such as a cardboard tube. They will power the coil with different current intensities and measure the resulting magnetic field using a magnetic field meter (also known as a Gaussmeter).

After obtaining measurements for different current intensities and number of turns in the coil, students will analyze the collected data, plotting them on a graph and trying to identify a relationship between the magnetic field intensity, the current, and the number of turns in the coil.

The project will be carried out in groups of 3 to 5 students and will last one week.

Required Materials:

• Enameled copper wire
• Power supply (can be a battery)
• Cylindrical object (such as a cardboard tube)
• Magnetic field meter (Gaussmeter)
• Multimeter to measure electric current
• Graph paper or software for graphs (such as Excel)

Detailed Step-by-Step:

1. Wind the copper wire around the cylindrical object to form a coil. Make sure the wire turns are close to each other.
2. Connect the coil to the power supply using two pieces of wire. Make sure the circuit is open (off) before connecting the coil.
3. Position the magnetic field meter in the center of the coil.
4. Close the circuit to allow the electric current to pass through the coil and note the magnetic field measurement indicated by the Gaussmeter.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for different current intensities. Note the current and the corresponding magnetic field measurement in each case.
6. Repeat the entire process for different numbers of turns in the coil.
7. Create a graph relating the magnetic field intensity to the current intensity and the number of turns in the coil.
8. Analyze the results obtained and try to identify a relationship between the magnetic field intensity, the current, and the number of turns in the coil.

Project Deliverables:

At the end of the practical activity, each group must submit a report containing the following topics:

1. Introduction: In this section, the group should present the project theme, discuss its relevance, and the objective of the activity.

2. Development: Here, the group should detail the step-by-step of the experiment, present the collected data, and analyze the produced graph. It is important to explain the theory behind the magnetic field generated by a coil and how it connects to the activity performed.

3. Conclusions: In this section, summarize the main points of the work, explaining the learnings obtained and the conclusions drawn about the project.

4. Bibliography: List of information sources used for the project, such as books, websites, videos, among others.

The written report should be an extension of the practical work carried out, connecting theoretical concepts with the practical experience lived by the students. Additionally, it should reflect collaboration and teamwork, as well as the socio-emotional skills developed throughout the project.