By Alibaster Smith | Updated March 24, 2022
Every magnet possesses two poles—north and south. To produce a magnet with a designated negative pole, you first need to construct a basic electromagnet. This involves running an electric current through a conductive core, which induces a magnetic field.
Use wire strippers to remove the insulation from both ends of the wire, leaving approximately ½ inch (1.27 cm) of exposed conductor.
Wrap the exposed wire snugly around the nail in a single-file helix, beginning at the head and ending near the tip. Tightly wound coils increase magnetic strength; avoid overlapping strands. Leave about 0.5 cm of the nail exposed at the tip.
Connect one stripped end to the battery’s positive terminal and the other to the negative terminal. The circuit now forms a functional electromagnet.
Test the magnet by bringing the nail tip near a paperclip or a pile of metal filings; attraction confirms operation. Duplicate the process with a second magnet so you can compare pole orientations.
While a gaussmeter can quantify magnetic polarity, it is costly. A cost‑effective alternative is a compass: place the compass close to each end of the nail. The needle will point toward magnetic north if that end is the north pole, and toward magnetic south if it is the south pole.
