<P> Danish scientist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered in 1820 that electric currents create magnetic fields . British scientist William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet in 1824 . His first electromagnet was a horseshoe - shaped piece of iron that was wrapped with about 18 turns of bare copper wire ( insulated wire did n't exist yet ) . The iron was varnished to insulate it from the windings . When a current was passed through the coil , the iron became magnetized and attracted other pieces of iron ; when the current was stopped , it lost magnetization . Sturgeon displayed its power by showing that although it only weighed seven ounces ( roughly 200 grams ) , it could lift nine pounds ( roughly 4 kilos ) when the current of a single - cell battery was applied . However , Sturgeon 's magnets were weak because the uninsulated wire he used could only be wrapped in a single spaced out layer around the core , limiting the number of turns . </P>
<P> Danish scientist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered in 1820 that electric currents create magnetic fields . British scientist William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet in 1824 . His first electromagnet was a horseshoe - shaped piece of iron that was wrapped with about 18 turns of bare copper wire ( insulated wire did n't exist yet ) . The iron was varnished to insulate it from the windings . When a current was passed through the coil , the iron became magnetized and attracted other pieces of iron ; when the current was stopped , it lost magnetization . Sturgeon displayed its power by showing that although it only weighed seven ounces ( roughly 200 grams ) , it could lift nine pounds ( roughly 4 kilos ) when the current of a single - cell battery was applied . However , Sturgeon 's magnets were weak because the uninsulated wire he used could only be wrapped in a single spaced out layer around the core , limiting the number of turns . </P>
what kind of wire is used in electromagnets
what kind of wire is used in electromagnets
copper
copper