Would a frog be able to withstand a strong magnetic field without harm?

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In summary: Some time ago I read about all those experimentswhen they used very powerful magnetic fieldson the order of 10 Tesla (10^5 Gauss) andabove to make stuff levitate. I alsosaw a picture of a levitating frog.My question is - how come that frog stayedalive ? Wouldn't such a powerful magneticfield totally disrupt its entire nerveous systemand brain functions ?Live long and prosper.Just a question:How did you know it was alive ?Originally posted by STAii Just a question:How did you know it was alive ?It moved while being levitated and theysay it felt quite "fine" after that
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Greetings !

Some time ago I read about all those experiments
when they used very powerful magnetic fields
on the order of 10 Tesla (10^5 Gauss) and
above to make stuff levitate. I also
saw a picture of a levitating frog.
My question is - how come that frog stayed
alive ? Wouldn't such a powerful magnetic
field totally disrupt its entire nerveous system
and brain functions ?

Live long and prosper.
 
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  • #2
Just a question:
How did you know it was alive ?
 
  • #3
Originally posted by STAii
Just a question:
How did you know it was alive ?
It moved while being levitated and they
say it felt quite "fine" after that experience. :smile:
 
  • #4
i remember seeing the same thing done with a spider. it moved around and everything while they did it
 
  • #5
HM...Why do magnetic fields affect these animals? Can a strong enough magnetic field levitate anything?
 
  • #6
Diamagnetic levitation.

http://www.physics.ucla.edu/marty/diamag/

Note that this magnetic replusion acts at the atomic scale. Since each atom is acted on by a nearly identical force, the frog feels like it is in free fall.
 
  • #7
Originally posted by Janus
Note that this magnetic replusion acts at the atomic scale. Since each atom is acted on by a nearly identical force, the frog feels like it is in free fall.
Yes, but what about the nerve system and the
brain (based upon electrical signal exchange) ?
No damage ?

Live long and prosper.
 
  • #8
neuroscientist uses up to 7Tesla imaging magnets on animals, 3T on people and that does nothing to you.

but also we can use magnets to disrupt certain areas of the brain.it's called transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS). it's relatively new but I'm pretty sure does not use that many Teslas.

so i think that maybe the orientation of the field may matter in terms of disrupting neural activity. actually I'm pretty sure it does. in TMS you can change the orietation of the field and the effect will go away.
 
  • #9
If there is no magnetic flux (either by fast movement through the magnetic field, or by rapidly altering the strength of the field), there will be no effect of electrical interferance.

In this case the magnetic field is stationary, and the frog is not moving through enough of a magnetic field gradient to cause electrical induction interference, so he is completely fine.

There are plenty of 'magnetic' therapies products on the market, those employing permanent magnets are completely ridiculous, preying on ignorance and stupidity, and if they are making any claim at all, it is a complete lie.

However, a pulsed magnet does have an effect on central nervous systems, and people are working on how to apply this in a benificial way.
 

1. How do the frogs levitate?

The frogs levitate due to a phenomenon called diamagnetism. This occurs when a material, in this case the frog's tissues, creates a magnetic field in response to an external magnetic field. This results in the frog being repelled by the magnetic field and appearing to levitate.

2. Is it harmful for the frogs to be levitating?

No, it is not harmful for the frogs to be levitating. Diamagnetism does not cause any harm to living organisms and the frogs are able to return to their natural state once the external magnetic field is removed.

3. Can all frogs levitate or only certain species?

All frogs have the ability to levitate through diamagnetism. However, some species may have a stronger response to the external magnetic field than others, resulting in a more noticeable levitation effect.

4. Why are scientists studying levitating frogs?

Scientists are studying levitating frogs to better understand the mechanisms behind diamagnetism and how it can be utilized in various fields such as medicine and technology. Additionally, studying the effects of levitation on living organisms can provide insight into potential benefits or risks of exposure to strong magnetic fields.

5. Can levitating frogs be used for practical purposes?

Currently, there are no practical applications for levitating frogs. However, the research being conducted on diamagnetism and levitation may lead to potential uses in the future, such as levitating small objects for transportation or medical applications.

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