Why is it important to use insulated wires in an electromagnet core?

[MMS]

Hello everyone,

I read somewhere that it is preferable to use insulated iron wires instead of a single iron core inside an electromagnet.
Anybody has an idea on why is that and what difference does it make to use each?

Thanks in advance.

 

[M Quack]

You want the core to become magnetized, but you do not want to induce Eddy currents in the metal of the core. Eddy currents are much smaller in a bundle or stack of small, insulated wires or plates than in a big chunk.