Background Information 

Magnets produce a magnetic force. The area 
around a magnet where the 
force works is called a 
magnetic field. When a 
magnet is moved near a 
closed coil of wire, the 
magnetic field creates, or 
induces, an electrical 
current in the wire.

The amount of electrical 
current produced in the wire is affected by the strength of the magnet, the numbers of coils in the wire, and the speed at which the magnet moves past the wire. Stronger magnets, faster speeds, and more coils all create bigger currents.

Moving a magnet back and
forth past a wire changes 
the direction of the flow of
electricity in the wire. This 
type of current is called 
alternating current because
the direction of the current 
flow alternates back and 
forth.