What creates an electromagnet?

An electromagnet is created by passing electric current through a wire coil. When current flows through the wire, it generates a magnetic field around the coil due to the motion of the charged particles (electrons) in the wire. This magnetic field can be enhanced by adding a ferromagnetic core, like iron, inside the coil, which becomes magnetized and increases the strength of the electromagnet.

Using permanent magnets does not create an electromagnet; instead, it involves utilizing a magnetic material that already has a stable magnetic field. Heating a metal core can change its properties but does not produce a magnetic field like an electromagnet does. Applying static electricity involves a different phenomenon that does not generate magnetic fields associated with current flow in a wire. In summary, the movement of electric charge in the wire is essential for generating the magnetic field characteristic of an electromagnet.