What Is the Combined Magnetic Force When Parallel Magnets Align?

[curiouschris]

Imagine two parallel lines of five magnets each, spaced a few millimeters apart. In the first line, all magnets have their north poles facing one direction. In the second line, each magnet's south pole faces the corresponding north pole of the first line, but the magnets are offset by one along the parallel line. The magnets in the first line are fixed, while those in the second line can only move parallel to the first line.

Given this setup, my question is: when the movable magnets align with their counterparts in the fixed line, what is the combined force pulling them together? Is it equivalent to the force exerted by one magnet (the offset), two magnets (the protruding magnets at each end), or all five magnets?

NOTE: My question has been clarified with the help of chatgpt so I hope it makes sense. it certainly is more concise than my original question!

 

[curiouschris]

I may need to move this to classical physics. is that doable or will I be blocked due to duplicate content?

 

[Baluncore]

There is too much critical orientation and spacing detail missing.
I think we need a sketch or diagram of the arrangement.

Why are you doing this? Are you making a magnetic clamp or chuck?

 

[curiouschris]

No its not for a clamp or any other "realisable" device at this point in time, however a linear manually operated rail gun is the best way to describe its motion. One row of magnets is fixed. when the other row is pulled back and released the magnets quickly try to align themselves resulting in them acelerating forward to collide with a projectile which is then shot forward. I have played with other versions of this using steel balls accelerating towards magnet which fires a steel ball into the next one resulting in a large increase in velocity.

So while playing with that I thought of a "slingshot" or rail gun style of the same thing but could not work out whether it would have the acceleration or whether it would not be very strong.

So at this point its just a mind exercise. One that has me a little stumped.

Hopefully the image helps show whats in my head. the only allowed movement is along the direction of the large red arrow parallel to the magnets, separation of the magnets is as close as physically practical with a small mostly woodworking workshop. so yeah tolerances are not great.

To make it stronger, two rows of fixed magnets could be employed but for the purposes of understanding whats going on its unnecessary.