So I was bored one day. I looked around and saw the following items: A tent stake, my leatherman, a lightbulb, some wiring, a power outlet, some tape and a multimeter. I wrapped the wire around the tent stake tightly and taped it to make it stay. I then snipped the wire on one end and attached the lightbulb. I plugged my apparatus into the wall socket and it worked as a weak electromagnet. I then set the multimeter to "ohms" and touched the leads to the ends of the tent stake. The electrical resistance of the tent stake was not constant. Any ideas as to why this should be?

I would just like to point out that DC is far better for that kind of thing. Try hooking it to your cell phone charger or something, and despite the low voltage, I bet you get better results.

I know that. I want to know why the electrical resistance of the tent stake kept changing.

Because the current/voltage keeps changing? it is AC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law

I thought of that but, and I probably should have posted all of these details in the first post, The magnetic field was the same regardless of whether it was plugged in. I checked with a compass. I didn't test the strength with iron dust because I don't have enough iron dust to cover a large enough area. On another note, the resistance variance continued for a short while when the mechanism was unplugged.

Oh, and it's the direction of the current that changes.

I thought of that but, and I probably should have posted all of these details in the first post, The magnetic field was the same regardless of whether it was plugged in. I checked with a compass. I didn't test the strength with iron dust because I don't have enough iron dust to cover a large enough area. On another note, the resistance variance continued for a short while when the mechanism was unplugged.

Oh, and it's the direction of the current that changes.

Don't know about the resistance or magnetic fields, but maybe your electromagnet is also acting as an inductor?

You are using the multimeter incorrectly. The only thing that should be applying voltage to the component you are measuring the resistance of should be the meter itself. Your multimeter's OHM setting is not designed to measure resistance under applied AC (which would really measure its inductive reactance/impedance in this case).

The current is traveling along the insulated wire wrapped around the tentstake. Oh, wait, do you mean the generated magnetic field is impeding the voltage of the multimeter? And the amount of resistance varies because the strength of the magnetic field varies?

This
You are using the multimeter incorrectly. The only thing that should be applying voltage to the component you are measuring the resistance of should be the meter itself. Your multimeter's OHM setting is not designed to measure resistance under applied AC (which would really measure its inductive reactance/impedance in this case).
You can't measure the resistance of a live circuit. Besides, if the pole is aluminum, I can guarantee you its resistance is <1ohm.

and this


The current is traveling along the insulated wire wrapped around the tentstake.
^Creating an electromagnet

Ever notice that as threads go on, people stop reading the OP before they post?

Ever notice that as threads go on, people stop reading the OP before they post?

Your question has been answered.

Yes, I was referring to you saying that I had created an electromagnet despite the fact that I had said that in tho OP. And why do people post a quote and say "this"? It isn't constructive at all.

And why do people post a quote and say "this"? It isn't constructive at all.

It means that someone else agrees with the statement. Usually the more people who agree on something, the less chance it has of being bullshit.

Then why not say that they agree? I've seen it used as pointing to something that is total BS, illogical, and just plain wrong.

Then why not say that they agree?

What's the difference between saying you agree and quoting something and saying "this"?