In an electromagnet, the component that provides an electric current is the battery. When a battery is connected to a wire coil wrapped around an iron or steel core, it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field then magnetizes the core, turning it into an electromagnet.
Here's a breakdown of how it works:
1. The battery acts as a power source, supplying the necessary electric current.
2. The wire coil, often made of copper, is wrapped around the iron or steel core.
3. When the circuit is complete by connecting the ends of the wire coil to the battery terminals, current flows through the wire.
4. This current creates a magnetic field around the coil, which magnetizes the iron or steel core.
5. The magnetized core then exhibits magnetic properties, attracting or repelling other magnetic materials.
So, while the wire and iron or steel core are crucial components of an electromagnet, it is the battery that supplies the electric current necessary to create the magnetic field and turn the core into a magnet.
