Chapter 9

9 FRANK CLEARS OFF HIS LAB WORKBENCH AND SETS UP HIS EQUIPMENT. "So here is the heart of the idea—electricity and magnetism are two different forms of the same thing." "Electron energy," says Klink, holding up both his lightbulb and magnet attachments. "Exactly," says Frank. "Electricity can make magnetism. And magnetism can make electricity."

"Like how chocolate milk is both chocolate and milk," adds Watson. "No," says Frank Einstein. "Not at all like that. But interesting, Watson. Observe this experiment." Frank picks up a big iron nail. He sticks it into a pile of paper clips, then pulls it out. "Just a plain old nail, right?" "Right," says Watson. Frank winds a copper wire around the nail. "But if we wrap the iron nail in copper wire..." Frank tapes one end of the wire to the top of a battery, the other end of the wire to the bottom. "...and run electrons from the battery through the wire..." Frank sticks the nail into the pile of paper clips again. "...we make the nail into a magnet!"

Frank lifts up the nail, this time dragging a bunch of paper clips with it. "Magic!" says Watson. "No—magnet," says Klink. "The electric current flowing through the wire produces a magnetic field around it. More wire makes a stronger field. So the electrified coiled wire makes a field just like a magnet."

Watson nods. "Magnetism from electricity." "And now watch this!" says Frank. Frank coils a longer copper wire in many big loops. He tapes one end of the wire to the side of the metal base of a small flashlight bulb. He tapes the other end of the wire to the tip of the bulb base.

"This bulb needs electricity to light up," says Frank. "Right," says Watson. Frank picks up a bar magnet. "If you move a magnet in and out of the coils of the copper wire, it moves the electrons in the wire..." Frank moves the magnet quickly in and out of the wire coils. The bulb lights. "...and it makes electricity!" "That is tooooo weird," marvels Watson. "Magnetism can make electricity. And electricity can make magnetism. But I guess that's right. 'Cause both are moving electrons around." Frank jumps up from the lab bench. "And since Earth acts as a giant magnet, imagine how much electricity Earth could make. And imagine if we could tap into it anywhere. And shoot it out—like a static-electricity finger!"