3. Take the remainder of the string, thread its end through one of the loops and close it in a loose loop, tying its end. (Keeping it loose allows you to cut that piece and remove it from the suspension loops; a tight knot would not let you do so.)

   Do the same with the other suspension loop, keeping distance of about 50 cm (20") between the bars. Cut off the excess.

   You should now have two short wire-bars hanging at opposite ends of a string.

4. With the wires hanging down in parallel (and not entangled!) take the middle of the string and wrap it twice around the nail or ball-point barrel. By twirling the nail with your fingers, you should be able to bring the two wires to exactly the same height.

Hold the nail still until the hanging wire-bars stop moving and are a short distance apart (a few millimeters or 1/8"). Then carry them to hang above the pole of the magnet (see drawing). Gently lower them towards the magnet, and if all goes well, you should see them move apart to about 2-3 times the distance. It is not a large effect and, contrary to Gilbert's illustration above, the wire-bars stay parallel, they do not form an angle.

When the wire-bars are removed, they slowly move together again and the experiment can be repeated

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