- Insulated wire (about 1 m in length)
- Iron nail (at least 5 cm in length)
- 1.5 V battery
- Adhesive tape
- Small metal paper clip
- Test that the iron nail is not already magnetised by trying to pick up the metal paper clip with it.
- Strip the two ends of the wire off its insulation. Leave about 1 cm bare on each end.
- Coil the wire around the iron nail, pushing each coil tightly together, to make a solenoid. Make sure you leave about 5 cm free at each end of the wire in order to connect the battery to the solenoid.
- If there is excess wire, make a second layer of coils around the first layer.
- Connect the ends of the wire to the terminals of the battery.
- Test the solenoid now by picking up the paper clip.