An electromagnet was connected to a 12v battery and I verified that it was working. I then touched the electromagnet to a strong regular magnet (rated to hold over 50 kg). There was a strong force between the magnets. I then disconnected the electromagnet from power, reversed the wires, and turned it back on. I expected to feel the electromagnet repel the other magnet, but instead they two magnets got stuck together again. It seems like reversing the wires had no affect on the polarity of the electromagnet.

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Anaya Gregory · Accepted Answer

The electromagnet appears to contain a ferromagnetic core. This core is magnetized by the electromagnetic coil. It retains a magnetic field after the coil is turned off, and its field may take some time to reverse after the coil polarity is reversed.Moreover, if the test magnet is more powerful than the coil (which sounds to be the case), it will cancel the field of the coil completely. You are essentially attaching the ferromagnet to the permanent magnet.You might try again with only a coreless coil. Perhaps try an inductor rather than a dedicated solenoid.

equissupnica7 · Accepted Answer

When one magnet is much stronger than another one, the stronger magnet will overcome the original magnetization (M) of the weaker magnet and attract it even when they were originally opposed.

An electromagnet was connected to a 12v battery and I verified that it was working

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