Magnet Repulsion: Understanding the Forces at Play

[Bobshark]

Hi Guys! I have a, rather general, question regarding the nature of magnet repulsion.

When two opposite poled magnets are put in contact, they naturally attract, but if two like poled magnets meet they would repel. Using such information:

-When two like poles repel, why do they not repel in a "straight" line (on a horizontal plane 180 degrees)? It seems like they naturally want to shift aside inside of away.

To put a visual concept to my question. If I were to lay dawn a south poled circular plate and then place another south poled plate on top of it, it would simply repel vertically until it essentially "hovers".

If you have some great reads, link'em!

 

[Drakkith]

The magnets shift to the side when you try to force them together because you are applying less force in the side directions.

You can't hover one magnet over another because there are no stable points in the field, so any sideways motion is not dampened, and the floating magnet simply slides away and falls.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_levitation#Stability
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnshaw's_theorem

 

[Bobshark]

Thank you Drakkith. Very helpful. Seems like there is a theory for everything these days!