Can Electromagnetic Levitation Make an Entire Apparatus Go Skyward?

  • Level: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Willb1998
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
3 replies · 2K views
Willb1998
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Hi I'm new I had the idea that possibly diamagnetism, levitation and electromagnetism could be linked for example I know that a magnet can be levitated between 2 pieces of bismuth. I'm not good with math nor electricity but do you think if something being repulsed like a bismuth plate was bolted to a base with all thread over an electromagnet would the whole apparatus go skyward? Most people think of a stationary base and something like a train being levitated above. Just wondering if the whole thing would go upwards or levitate including the base.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Willb1998 said:
Hi I'm new I had the idea that possibly diamagnetism, levitation and electromagnetism could be linked for example I know that a magnet can be levitated between 2 pieces of bismuth. I'm not good with math nor electricity but do you think if something being repulsed like a bismuth plate was bolted to a base with all thread over an electromagnet would the whole apparatus go skyward? Most people think of a stationary base and something like a train being levitated above. Just wondering if the whole thing would go upwards or levitate including the base.
No. It would levitate up to the point were either a) gravity will win b) the diamagnetic force saturates.
 
pines-demon said:
No. It would levitate up to the point were either a) gravity will win b) the diamagnetic force saturates.
Interesting at 1:16 you can see a large aluminum cylinder hopping upwards and levitating for probably half a second on its way back down.

 
  • Skeptical
Likes   Reactions: weirdoguy and pines-demon