Definition
A magnet produced by passing electric current through a coil of wire, usually wound around a soft iron core. The magnetic field exists only while current is flowing, and its strength depends on the amount of current and the number of turns in the coil.
Plain English
A piece of metal that becomes a magnet when you send electricity through a coil of wire wrapped around it, and stops being a magnet when you switch the electricity off.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft electrical and engine systems, especially in devices that use electricity to move or hold a metal part, such as starter circuits, relays, and solenoids.
Derivation
From 'electro-' (electricity) and 'magnet.' The name reflects what it is: a magnet powered by electricity, as opposed to a permanent magnet that holds its magnetism on its own.
Why Pilots Care
Electromagnets allow low-power circuits to control high-current devices like starter motors and ignition switches without direct heavy wiring.
Grounding Statement
Picture flipping a switch and making a metal part become magnetic only while the electricity is flowing.
Intuition Check
An electromagnet is not the same as a permanent magnet. It normally needs electric current to create its magnetic pull.
Example Sentence 1
When the pilot engages the starter, current flows through an electromagnet that pulls the starter pinion into the engine flywheel.
Example Sentence 2
Technicians test the electromagnet in the solenoid to confirm it pulls the plunger smoothly when voltage is applied.