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TEAL Electricity & Magnetism
 
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SECTION : Falling Magnet   

 
  
SUBJECT: The Levitating Magnet  
 
DESCRIPTION:

A magnet is dropped toward a superconducting ring. As the magnet falls under gravity, a current is induced in the ring that tries to keep the magnetic flux through the area of the ring constant. This corresponds to a field that produces a force that opposes the motion of the magnet. As the magnet approaches from above, the induced current generates a field that pushes the magnet upwards from below. In this case, since the ring has zero resistance, the flux through the ringremains constant. This is evidenced by the fact that the fieldlines from the magnet never cross the ring. In addition, the magnet is light enough that the force from the induced field balances that of gravity, causing the magnet to float above the ring.

The first animation shows the magnetic field configuration around a magnet as it falls and rebounds. The current in the ring is indicated by the small moving spheres. The motions of the field lines are in the direction of the local Poynting flux vector.

The second animation shows a three-dimensional fieldline representation of the same process.

 

 

 

 

   
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