Pipe Cleaner Discovery Bottle

This project was self-initiated by a school-age child with access to Pinterest.

Our young scientist took an empty 1 liter bottle, snipped striped pipe cleaners into small pieces (less than an inch) and placed in the empty bottle.

The key is to have a tall, smooth bottle. Clip the pieces very small as they will be easier to attract to the magnet.

We had access to a magnet wand. However if you don't have one you can take a small plastic container, fill it with super magnets and wrap in duct tape for a "semi-safe" magnet.

This activity provides an opportunity to talk about magnets and magnetism.

Magnetic objects are objects that produce and area of magnetic force called a magnetic field.

You can't see a magnetic field.

Magnets are attracted to metals containing iron.

Magnetic objects have to be in the magnetic field in order to respond. This is why you may need to bring the object closer to the magnet.

Magnets can vary in strength which means they have larger or smaller magnetic fields depending upon their strength.

The ends of magnets are called poles. Each magnet has a north pole and a south pole- just like the earth. If you have two magnets, the opposite poles will attract- which is where the catch-phrase "opposites attract" originates. Conversely like poles on separate magnets will repel each other.

If you cut a bar magnet in half you get two brand new, smaller magnets, each with its own north and south pole.

If you run a magnet a few times over an non-magnetized piece of a magnetic material, you can convert it into a magnet as well. This is called magnetization. You may notice the pipe cleaner pieces begin sticking together even after the magnet has been removed.