# Superconductors in magnetic fields

1. Dec 27, 2015

### Danyon

Does a superconductor experience any forces acting upon it when it is passed through a magnetic field?

2. Dec 27, 2015

### Hornbein

Yes, as evidenced by those videos of levitating superconductors.

3. Dec 27, 2015

### PhiowPhi

Adding to that, if type II superconductors would have some of the flux lines passing through the material:

Let's assume there is current flowing within the conductor will it experience a Lorentz force($F_L$)? Is it equal to($IL \times B$)?

4. Dec 28, 2015

### radium

The magnetic field will be expelled from the superconductor. It can only propagate within a distance called the London penetration depth. This is the meissner effect. The applied field in the interior is cancelled by surface currents. In this sense, an sc is a perfect diamagnet, but the diamagnetism is different from ordinary materials.

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