Since today is renowned for its trickery, we’re honoring it with some cool science experiments that are great in classroom and learning settings to show the relationship between magic and science.

Iron Filings Demonstration

When magnets interact with iron filings it is a great way to show magnetic lines of force. You can show this interaction in many ways. One neat way to show magnetic lines is with a 3-D Magnetic Field Demonstrator. The hinged design allows the case to be opened to view the magnet inside and the lines of force in 2D and 3D.

Magnetic Levitation

With this fun experiment, you may be able to trick your pupils into believing you are a magician. Although magnetic levitation may seem magical, it can easily be explained with science. For a simple magnetic levitation experiment, all you need is:

Supplies

Steps

  1. Place a small neodymium magnet between 2 blocks of pyrolytic graphite.
  2. Hold a helper magnet above the blocks to provide lift. After a bit of trial and error, you will find the point at which the small magnet will levitate.
  3. To suspend the magnet indefinitely, you can create an apparatus to hold each piece in place.
For more detailed steps, visit our website here.

Ferrofluid

Place some ferrofluid in a petri dish and ask your pupils if you can make the liquid move without touching it. Without them knowing it is ferrofluid, they may respond with a no. Now, place a magnet below the dish. When the liquid spikes, reveal that the substance is ferrofluid, a liquid that contains metal properties. You can check out one of our ferrofluid experiments here for more guidance and information. It is important to remember that although magnets can be the source of much enjoyment, they are not toys. To be safe always have adult supervision when handling magnets and feel free to check out our magnet safety tips.