Colored Ferrofluid Display Cells
Available on Etsy: BUY NOW Motion Ferrofluid Sculpture
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Colored Ferrofluid Display Cells: spectacular metallic blue, gold, and black display cells by czferro - colloidal ferromagnetic liquids in a specially prepared water-alcohol suspension. Curious behavior results from the interplay between magnetic force and surface tension. The gold and blue coloring appears to be from a thin coating at the boundary between the ferrofluid and the suspension liquid. Still exploring the details of the coloring and the specific makeup of the clear suspension fluid - both trade secrets it seems.
Magswitch
The smallest Magswitch in this product line, yet it can lift 17 lbs! The Magjig 60:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magswitch 60
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Magswitch: switchable permanent magnet- a twist of a knob turns on a magnetic field strong enough to lift this 5.2 kilogram (11 pound) chunk of railroad rail. Magnetic fields, when combined, can be either additive or subtractive. This Magswitch model, the Magjig 60, works by aligning and counter-aligning two strong neodymium dipole magnets within a field channeling ferromagnetic casing.
Lenz's Law
Get a similar kit here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Eddy Current tubes
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Lenz's Law: a strong neodymium magnet falls slowly down a copper bus bar as though passing through a viscous liquid. Since magnetic fields pass through copper, magneview film reveals the location of the falling dipole magnet. Moving magnetic fields from the falling magnet produce electric currents in the copper. These currents then produce magnetic fields that have the opposite polarity to the initial field. So a falling magnet makes the copper pipe briefly into an electromagnet that repels the magnet. The rectangular copper “pipe” is from a water-cooled electromagnet power supply line, 1.5 x 2 in (4 x 5 cm) in cross-section, designed to supply a steady DC current of 5000 amps. This 40cm long piece weighs in at 6kg and has a 1.5cm diameter hole for cooling water to flow down its center. From a decommissioned particle accelerator magnet.
Viewing the Feel Flux Magnetic Field
Get this device here:
From feelflux.com: BUY NOW Feel Flux
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Viewing the Feel Flux Magnetic Field: Magneview film reveals the powerful field of the neodymium magnet as it falls with terminal velocity through the copper tube of the Feel Flux toy.
Micro Hoverboard
Micro-Hoverboard: diamagnetic levitation technology- although Marty McFly would have to be three inches tall to ride this hoverboard. Made from printed paper and pyrolytic graphite with concentric circular neodymium magnet array. The magnetic rings alternate between north and south magnetic poles in just the right way to trap this special type of graphite. Pyrolytic graphite has strong diamagnetic properties such that it develops an opposite (but weak)magnetic field when in the presence of a magnetic field from another source. Swipe to see the graphite pieces levitating individually.
spYke Ferrofluid Display Cell
Check out the Etsy page of CZFerro: imaginative and quality ferrofluid display cells
On Etsy: BUY NOW Magnetic Fluid Sculptures
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
spYke Ferrofluid Display Cell: another spectacular display cell by czferro featuring a colloidal ferromagnetic liquid in a specially prepared water-alcohol suspension. The orange background highlights the curious spiking behavior of the black ferrofluid- a result of the interplay between magnetic force and surface tension between the liquids.
The Levimoon
Get a levitating moon globe lamp here!
From Amazon: BUY NOW Levitating Moon Globe Lamp
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The Levimoon: this detailed moon globe is an adjustable lamp that levitates! Charged through wireless induction via the base, the moon floats above the Earth while illuminated from the inside to reveal the major features of the lunar surface, and will rotate when given a slight push. This kind of levitation uses a control system with an adjustable electromagnet in a feedback loop with Hall effect sensors which allows for fine tuning of the magnetic field to exactly balance the pull of gravity.
Iron Filings in Silicone Oil Suspension
Available from these fine sources:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Viewer Set (get the demo set)
Similar device here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Viewer with Magnet
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Iron Filings in Silicone Oil Suspension ( Iron filing field detector ): visualizing the invisible- the magnetic field lines around a horseshoe magnet. In the presence of a magnetic field, ferromagnetic materials (such as iron) temporarily become magnets. Here the iron filings become dipole magnets and link up and align like tiny compass needles to follow and reveal the magnetic field lines associated with the permanent magnet underneath. Viscous silicone oil temporarily keeps the iron particles suspended yet allows for rotation and repositioning under the influence of the magnetic field.
Top Secret
This physics toy top is available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Mystery Spinning Top
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
The amazing green magnetic viewing film is also available:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Viewing Film
Here is the 1974 patent showing the very simple circuit of this device. The spinning dipole (the top itself) induces a current in one of the coils, and this current is fed to the base of the transistor turning the electromagnet on when the top is near.
"Top Secret": this top will stay spinning for more than a week- because it is actually a motor! The top is a dipole magnet (as revealed by Magneview film) and the base has an electromagnet that gives the dipole a push when the top comes near the center. An ingeniously simple circuit consisting of only a battery, a coil, and a transistor, is activated when the spinning magnet nears the coil turning on the electromagnet to give a boost to the spin of the magnetic top.
Penultimate
Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Penultimate Floating Pen
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Penultimate: magnetic levitation pen. A two dimensional magnetic trap suspends a ball point pen- in this design the point of the pen against a polished acrylic acts as a bearing to let the pen spin with minimal friction.
Revolution
This vintage toy can sometimes be found on eBay.
Quality models of the modern version of this physics toy are still available
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Levitator
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Levitator
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Revolution: vintage 2D magnetic levitation- permanent magnets can only produce static equilibrium along two dimensions- here a glass mirror constrains the third dimension, and makes for a nice bearing surface for rotation. This item was sold in the 1990s in mall shops such as Natural Wonders.
Self-Propelled Homopolar Motor on Aluminum Foil Racetrack
I used neodymium disk magnets, small end = 1/2" diameter, Large end = 3/4" diameter.
From Amazon: BUY NOW Disk Magnets for Simple Motor
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Foil Runner Motor assembly diagram:
Self-Propelled Homopolar Motor on Aluminum Foil Racetrack: A favorite DIY physics toy where disk shaped neodymium magnets supply the static magnetic field for this motor and become the wheels of a very simple vehicle with an AAA battery as the energy source. As soon as both ends make contact with the conducting aluminium foil an electric current will flow which in turn induces a magnetic field underneath the battery assembly. This induced field will then interact with the neodymium magnets on each end causing them to spin- a wonderful example of a motor with minimal components. The racetrack is a cardboard circle from a pizza box covered in kitchen foil.
Spring/Latch Polymagnets
Avilable here:
From Polymagnet.com: BUY NOW
Spring/Latch Pair Demo
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Spring Latch Polymagnets: this pair of coded magnets attract but don’t touch in a state of stable equilibrium at a distance of 1/2 cm- but if one magnet is turned a half twist they latch together. Magnetic viewing film reveals the specific and complex arrangement of N and S poles that allow for this set to act like a spring or a latch (although only if constrained to an axis along their centers).
Ferrofluid Interactive Lava Lamp
Available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Ferrofluid Lava Lamp
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Ferrofluid Interactive Lava Lamp: special ferrofluid infused wax allows manipulation of the blobs of “lava” with a weak magnet, adding an interactive element to the already mesmerizing physics of convective heat flow, Archimedes principle, and immiscible liquids. Love the atomic rocket theme on this updated version of the 1960s classic physics toy.
More here: Ferrofluid Interactive Sculptures
Magnetic Tip Spinning Top
Available from my friends at Grand Illusions Ltd.:
From Grand Illusions: BUY NOW Magnetic Top with Spiral & Snake
Also on Etsy: BUY NOW: Magnetic Top with Spiral
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Magnetic Tip Spinning Top: the top stays on the perimeter of the steel plate spiral- but since the top is more massive, the spiral moves with curious motion. This kinetic art toy takes advantage of Newton's 3rd law and rotational kinetic energy.
Pickagram Puzzle
Get this well made puzzle here:
From Art of Play: BUY NOW: PIckagram Puzzle
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Pickagram: an innovative update on the classic Tangram puzzle- magnets added! With pieces that cling together with a satisfying snap, the 2D puzzle formations become 3D abstract sculptures that can stand on their own. From the mind of designer and architect Gilryong Song, with inspiration from the golden ratio in its proportions and angles.
