How To Calculate Position Two Magnets Will Attract And Lock

[Frank Misa]

Hi All,

Do equations (or branch of study) exist for the following problem:

I have two (or more sphere magnets); can it be determined mathematically/classical-physics-equations what positions these two magnets will attract each other in and lock ?

In other words - these two sphere magnets have North/South poles. If I allow these two magnets to freely attract each other and lock - will the angle formed by lines running through their poles be predictable/deterministic ?

Hope this is a no brainer for someone out there...
I'd appreciate any links/urls/key-words that I could use for further self-study on this topic...

Hope to hear from someone...

Cheers
Frank

 

[josh_einsle]

I am assuming that by 'lock' you mean touch?

if so I would think so, and it would be through applying maxwells equations. though since it has been well over 7 years since the last time i did that type of calculation i will have to look it up.

 

[Frank Misa]

Thanks for your help

Hi...
Thanks very much Josh...

Yes - by locking I mean position they come to rest when touching.

Re: Maxwell's equations...that's exactly the help/direction I was looking for. A link to an example/sample solution discussing this problem would be very helpful - I'd be grateful if you could forwarded me a link/reference.

Now that I think about it - the 2-sphere magnet case will always be a staight line (180degrees) with the two sphere magnets always lining up end-to-end... with point of contact at opposite poles: N/S or S/N ? Right... opposites attract.

But what if 3 or more sphere magnets are involved; can the same equations be used to determine their relationship to each other when the group is allowed to combine... OR again will the solutions be trivial ? either a straight line with poles end to end - or some kind of tendency to form cube forms...or will the relationships be more complex ?

Which I had a box of sphere magnets I could try out ;)

Any thoughts...
Thanks very much...
Cheers
Frank
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell's_equations

 

[josh_einsle]

you know on my cab ride back to the hotel (on a business trip at the moment) I realized the same thing about the two spherical magnets problem. again by geometry I would assume that the three manet would form into some kind of triangular arrangement...

as to equations to determne this i still have yet to look it up...again I need to sit down with an E&M book, which I do nothave with me.

 

[Frank Misa]

No problem Josh...
No rush ;)
Have a look at the following when you have time:




From this article originally:
http://amasci.com/amateur/beads.html

Cheers...
Frank