Magnetic Propulsion - Possible?

[MBB]

I am new to this forum, so please excuse my ignorance. I was thinking about how everything in the universe is round, right? Well, the Earth is made up of two magnetic poles. North pole, and south pole. It is what keeps the Earth stabilized. Is it possible to utilize round magnets for levitation against gravity?

 

[JaredJames]

Welcome to PF.

1. Not everything in the universe is round.

2. The Earths magnetic field does not keep us stable.

3. Any magnet can be used to levitate against gravity, but you must have an opposing magnet / ferrous material to provide the attraction/repulsion force required.

See Maglev for an example of 'hovering' trains that use magnetic fields for near frictionless travel.

I'm not sure how you got from things being round to levitation, but it's something of a weird connection.

 

[Drakkith]

It is not practical, if even possible, to levitate just using the Earth's magnetic field and 1 set of magnets. You need 2 sets or something like a rail to use as support and such.

 

[JaredJames]

It is not practical, if even possible, to levitate just using the Earth's magnetic field and 1 set of magnets. You need 2 sets or something like a rail to use as support and such.

I think there's another thread floating around that talks about Earth's field and levitation, it shows it just isn't possible without an incredibly strong magnet on the vehicle (way beyond anything practical or we're capable of).

 

[pallidin]

I would like to respond to this.

Magnetic levitation is possible only if the magnetic field being distorted(ie, the Earth's magnetic field) is such to be able to support the "levitating" magnet. That is, the distortion must NOT be too much, else levitation will not occur.

With our earth, the natural magnetic field is incredibly weak, thus it's distortion is very high when a magnet is in it's environment.
So high that levitation is impossble.

To make matters worse, a very strong magnet/electromagnet only increases the "negative" distortion of the local Earth's magnetic field, making it even LESS liikely to levitate.

 

[Drakkith]

I see what you are saying pallidin, and don't disagree, but just wanted to ask that if you had a large enough magnet would the force from a larger section of the Earth's magnetic field be able to hold something up as a whole? Even if it is distorting?

 

[pallidin]

I see what you are saying pallidin, and don't disagree, but just wanted to ask that if you had a large enough magnet would the force from a larger section of the Earth's magnetic field be able to hold something up as a whole? Even if it is distorting?

A local Earth's magnetic field is unable to support, I would suppose, less than a fraction of one ounce, so-to-speak.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Think about in terms of energy - the energy in the Earth's magnetic field is about 0.001 J/m^3. That's the ballpark you've got to work with.