Magnet falling slowly through a copper tube

[androz]

Hi all !

I've looked at a strange video on the net of an obscure compagnie
that pretend to create electricity (5 times more energy than it consume).
This video was very entertaining, I laughed a lot. But, there was
something special that intrigate me...
The pseudo-scientist take a permanent cylindrical magnet, and droped
it in a copper(?) tube. The magnet then falls of course, but at a very very
low speed.

First I could not explain that, but it is simply due to the moving magnet
that generate Foucault current in the copper...

Morality, do impresive experiments to a non-scientific audience, try to
make them believe you can offer them free power, electricity and so on,
but you can't because of a lack of money and because of the politicians
and big compagnies... and you'll be a big... swindler !

--> http://www.placeunique.com/projet.html

 

[AntiMagicMan]

I remember that experiment being performed at an open day quite a few years back when I was applying to universities. They certainly didn't claim it was producing energy from nowhere :D.

 

[Mk]

Eddy currents in the copper pipe slow the magent's fall. However I am not so sure about the free energy.