Does Volume Affect

How Much a
Magnet can Pick
Up?
Moore 5.22 Physics Electromagnetics

Question

Does Volume Affect How Much a

Magnet can Pick Up?

Abstract

My project is about the strength of magnets with

different volumes. The purpose of this project is to see if
construction companies can use bigger magnets to pick
up heavier objects. My hypothesis is: if I use magnets
with different volumes, then the one with the largest
volume will pick up the most because it has the most
magnetic material. How I conducted the experiment was
I hovered the magnets over a pile of 160 small washers,
and moved the magnet around, seeing how many I could
pick up. My results showed that the surface area of the
magnets seemed to also affect the number of washers
picked up. For the single magnets, I covered the entire
surface area with washers, so that may have changed the
procedure with those trials. In conclusion, the magnet
with the largest volume did pick up the most objects.

Hypothesis

If I use magnets with different

volumes, then the one with the
largest volume will pick up the most
because it has the most magnetic
material.

Materials

Four different sizes of magnets with

the same density.
160 small washers.

Procedure

1. I will conduct 5 trials per magnet size.

2. I will control the controlled variable by
only using one magnet size at a time.
3. I will hover the magnet over a pile of the
washers and move the magnet around.
4. I will record the results of my dependent
variable by counting and recording how
many washers the magnet picks up.
5. I will switch to a different magnet size.
6. See step 1.

Variables

Independent: The magnets.

Controlled: The density of the
magnets.
Dependent: The number of objects
the magnets can pick up.

Experimental Pictures

Data from rectangle

magnets
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Average

Full
stack
(4000
mm3)

88
washers

95
washers

95
washers

91
washers

104
washers

95
washers

Half
stack
(2000
mm3)

37
washers

49
washers

43
washers

47
washers

47
washers

45
washers

1/8 stack
(500
mm3)

18
washers

17
washers

26
washers

28
washers

27
washers

23
washers

Data from small circle

magnets
Full
stack
(3926.9
908
mm3)

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Averag
e

10
washer
s

50
washer
s

52
washer
s

48
washer
s

51
washer
s

42
washer
s

Half
42
45
42
41
37
41
stack
washer washer washer washer washer washer
(1963.4 s
s
s
s
s
s
954
mm3)
1/10
21
28
28
35
22
27
stack
washer washer washer washer washer washer
(314.15 s
s
s
s
s
s
926

Data from medium and 1

large circle magnets
Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Average

Full
stack
(9079.20
27mm3)

150
washers

149
washers

152
washers

144
washers

149
washers

149
washers

Half
stack
(4539.60
13 mm3)

59
washers

53
washers

48
washers

52
washers

52
washers

53
washers

1/8 stack
(1134.90
03 mm3)

35
washers

41
washers

44
washers

37
washers

34
washers

38
washers

Large
Circle
(1808.64
mm3)

136
washers

125
washers

137
washers

128
washers

144
washers

134
washers

Data Graph

(mm3)

Conclusion

In conclusion, different magnet

volumes do affect how many objects
they can pick up. My hypothesis was
supported because the magnet with
the largest volume did pick up the
most objects.

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