Trying to understand Magnetic Braking

[JonathanS]

I understand that it happens when you move a magnet across the surface of a conductive non-magnetic metal like aluminum or copper because of magnetic eddies explained by Lenz's Law.

What I don't understand is where the energy of the momentum is going. If I were pushing a magnet across an aluminum sheet then where does my effort go when I'm feeling the resistance?

 

[TVP45]

That's CURRENTly a very HOT question.

 

[JonathanS]

So you're saying that it creates an electrical current and generates heat right?

It's kind of like a flat electrical generator right?

If the aluminum plate was insulated then the current would have nowhere to go. Would it then just create heat? Wouldn't it need electrical current flowing through it so that the natural resistance of the metal would create heat?

 

[TVP45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_brake

 

[JonathanS]

Ok, so it definitely creates heat instead of electricity if it's insulated. So the heat comes from the "friction" of the electrons trying to go somewhere but can't because of the other electrons that are already there?