Magnet Levitating Above A Ring or Disk With Zero Resistance

Associated Java Applet

0.6 MEG QuickTime File

A magnet levitates above a superconducting disk in liquid nitrogen.

0.6 MEG AVI File or 1.1 MEG QuickTime File.

A magnet levitates above a ring with zero resistance. A ring with zero resistance is different from the superconducting disk above, because there are quantum mechanical effects there which do not appear in this clasical case. But there are analogies that can help us understand some of what is happening. In the zero resistance case, there is enough field pressure to keep the magnet from falling through the ring. The magnet is levitated above the ring because it is floating on the magnetic fields, held up by the pressure perpendicular to the magnetic field.

1.8 Meg QuickTime File.

A magnet again levitates above a ring with zero resistance. Here we show only one field line repeated many times in azimuth. The motion here is periodic. Set your movie player to loop.

1.8 Meg QuickTime File.

A magnet now levitates above a disk with zero resistance. Here we show only one field line repeated many times in azimuth. The motion here is periodic. Set your movie player to loop.

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