In STEM this week, I began experimenting with the materials that I am using to make my electromagnets. This lesson was quite successful as I achieved my goal of making a functioning electromagnet that would attract a small, light paperclip within 10cm of distance. Firstly, I gathered the materials that I needed to make an electromagnet (iron pipe, insulated copper wire, etc). Then, I began coiling the wire around the iron pipe, before sticking the two end of the wire to the two ends of a battery. By then, I had managed to create a small, functioning electromagnet that was able to attract a small, light paperclip within 10cm of distance. The success of my practice electromagnet really helped to make me more confident in my understanding of how electromagnets work and how to make them. After successfully making my first electromagnet, I began to make one of the electromagnets that would be used in the final prototype of my design. However, I encountered many unexpected challenges while attempting to do this. The challenges that I faced mainly involved adjusting parts of my electromagnet to suit my model. These challenges will be further explained in the next post about my project (post #8). Next lesson we will be soldering circuits, and hopefully, I will learn more about circuits and how to ensure that all the different parts of a circuit are properly secured together. I hope that the knowledge I gain from the next lesson will help me to improve the structure and reliability of my electromagnets.