How can the north and south poles of an electromagnet be reversed?

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electromagnet Figure 1: Elements of a solenoid

The north and south poles of an electromagnet can be reversed by reversing the direction of the electric current flowing through its coil.1

An electromagnet functions by passing current through a coil to magnetize a core, creating a magnetic field. Because the magnetic field is generated by the motion of electric charges, changing the direction of that current flow alters the orientation of the magnetic field, thereby swapping the positions of the north and south poles. This ability to easily reverse, vary, or switch the magnetic flux is a primary reason why electromagnets are used in applications requiring controllable magnets.12