How do you calculate the Force of Attraction of two magnets?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the force of attraction between two bar magnets or electromagnets, particularly in the context of building a coilgun. Key concepts include the magnetic moment of a dipole and the integration of magnetizations to derive the force between extended magnets. The discussion emphasizes modeling the bar magnet as a collection of small magnetic dipoles, allowing for the application of equations related to magnetic fields and forces. This approach provides a systematic method for determining the interaction forces in practical applications such as coilgun design.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of magnetic dipoles and their properties
  • Familiarity with magnetic moment calculations
  • Knowledge of homogeneous magnetic fields
  • Basic principles of electromagnetism
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the equations for calculating the magnetic moment of a dipole
  • Study the integration of magnetizations for extended magnets
  • Learn about the force experienced by a magnetic dipole in a magnetic field
  • Explore practical applications of magnetic forces in coilgun design
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, engineers, and hobbyists involved in electromagnetism, particularly those interested in designing and building coilguns or similar devices.

ryccoh
I just took physics 2. We learned how to calculate the force of a magnetic field on a current or moving charges. What we didn't learn is how to calculate the force of attraction of two bar magnets or electromagnets for that matter. I'm building a coilgun and having a set of equations for this would come in really handy.
 
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You could imagine the bar magnet to be made up of small magnetic dipoles, i.e. the magnetization M is the dipole moment density. So you could derive first the magnetic moment of a dipole and the force it experiences in a homogeneous magnetic field (e.g. you can model it as an arbitrary small current loop) and then you can obtain the force between extended magnets integrating over the magnetizations.
 

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