See similar magnetic suspension devices in my collection
Defiance of Gravity II: the top hoop hangs mysteriously by a chain in this recent creation in my studio. Puzzle- How do the magnets create such a stable configuration? Main components include slices of PCV pipe, neodymium magnets, wood base, and a section of non-magnetic chain.
Get an easy to assemble kit here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Simplest Motor Kit
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Electric Motor Build: One of the most important inventions consists of only three basic components as shown here: coil, magnet, and a battery with lead wire posts. The wire of the spinning coil has an insulating coating on it- and this coating is carefully scrapped off one side of the thin wire on each end. When current passes through the coil it becomes an electromagnet and the permanent magnet repels it making it spin- as it turns the current goes on and off depending on if the copper wire posts are in contact with the bare wire side (current on) or the part of the wire with the insulating coating intact (current off). When the current is off momentum keeps the rotation going until the next push. The physics of converting electric energy to rotational kinetic energy- and a fun DIY project!
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From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Viewer Cube
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Viewer
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Magnetic Field Viewer: visualizing the invisible- tiny iron filings suspended in viscous oil gracefully chain up along the magnetic field lines of the ferromagnet, revealing its dipole configuration.
More info here:
From TeslaCoilPro: Learn More: BagleGen and other Plasma Art
Variations available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Plasma Toroid Lamps
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Toroidal Plasma Generator: an intricate dance of high intensity/high frequency electric and magnetic fields produce a ring of glowing plasma within a glass sphere containing noble gasses at low pressure. This BagleGen device is the latest in high tech kinetic art by creator Zerg Dragonymous of @teslacoilpro. What most amazes me here is how these very complex fields can be produced by circuit of only a few components- the main structure in the base is a cooling fan with a huge heat sink attached to a MOSFET transistor that sits centered below the induction coil. An amazing device for the serious hobbyist!
Get this new technology here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Color Magnetic Viewing Film
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Color Gradient Magnetic Film: making the invisible visible and revealing the hidden beauty of the physics in our everyday world. The field structure of six magnetic objects can be seen here. Staring with a simple dipole neodymium in the center and going clockwise from the top left: fridge magnet with stripe pattern, magnetic rotor of a small motor, ring of poles of a stator for a stepper motor, vintage ferrous classroom “dipole”, and a coded interlocking neodymium magnet. Microscopic cavities in this thin film are filled with suspended magnetic nanoparticles that interact with magnetic fields producing different colors from orange (low field strength) to dark blue (high field strength).
Get this kit here (comes complete as shown in my video):
From engineDIY: BUY NOW: Magnetic Levitation Module
The featured sculture is by Bathsheba Grossman, affordable and beautiful math art available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Math Sculptures
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Electromagnetic Levitation Module: this engineered control system uses adjustable electromagnets (four copper coils) and and two Hall effect magnetic field sensors (held firm embedded in white silicone) to levitate an 5cm diameter neodymium magnet platform about 3 cm in mid-air. A feedback loop informed by the Hall effect sensors allows fine tuning of the magnetic field to exactly balance the pull of gravity, and is powered by a standard USB connection. The platform also rotates, perfect for showcasing one of my metal 3D printed mathematical sculptures by Bathsheba Grossman.
The classic green film can be found here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Classic Green Magnetic Viewing Film
The high-def gold film can be found here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: High-Def Magnetic Viewing Film
The color magnetic viewing film can be purchased here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Color Magnetic Viewing Film
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Magnetic Viewing Films: making the invisible visible with four versions of magnetic viewing film. 1) the classic green Magneview film from the 1990s with tiny bubble cavities filled with oil and flakes of nickel, 2) silver high-definition film with smaller cavities, 3) golden high definition film with reflective crystals of some kind in the tiny capsules, and 4) the most recent invention featuring capsules filled with suspended magnetic nanoparticles producing different colors from orange (low field strength) to blue (high field strength). The field structure of three magnetic objects is compared, a simple dipole, the magnetic rotor of a small motor, and a fridge magnet with weird domain structure.
Available as a set, or individually (all come with the super powerful sphere magnet) here:
From feelflux.com: BUY NOW: Flux Vision
See my other posts on the Feel Flux devices
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Flux Vision: original (Feel Flux) and the new (Flux Vision) with a “skin” of color magnetic viewing film, the skill toy that uses high quality copper to manipulate a very strong neodymium magnet ball. The moving magnetic field from the falling magnet produces electric currents in the copper- these currents then produce magnetic fields that oppose the motion of the moving field, a specific application of Faraday’s law of induction called Lenz’s Law. The magnetic field penetrates the copper tube and its orientation and strength can clearly be seen as the ball moves through the Flux Vision- amazing!
Get a very similar device here:
From Kontax: BUY NOW: Diamagnetic Trap Levitator
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Diamagnetic Trap Levitation: tiny neodymium cube magnet trapped between two diamagnetic discs of pyrolytic graphite. Diamagnetic substances only have magnetic fields of their own when placed in an external magnetic field from another source- here the cube shaped magnet supplies the field. Diamagnetic fields are pretty weak, so the top magnet is adjusted to help lift the tiny magnet against gravity where the slightest air currents can send it dancing. A creation of Martin Simon in my collection since 1999.
Available for all the planets and several versions of Earth:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Mova Globes
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Satellite Earth Globe by Mova: astonishing kinetic art that rotates without a power cord or batteries featuring a counterweighted globe sealed within a clear liquid filled acrylic sphere. The rotation in a Mova globe is powered by light that shines through the semi-transparent Earth image on to solar cells within the globe which supplies electricity to a motor. But what does the motor push against to maintain the rotation? Believe it or not it rotates magnets to push against the Earth’s magnetic field like a compass needle. Wonderful physics of all kinds in the design of this clever device. Model demonstrated: Mova 6” Earth with Clouds based on NASA satellite images.
Get this amazingly well engineered device here:
From Spirok: BUY NOW: Spirok ferrofluid BT speaker (use code PHYSICSFUN for 15% off!)
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Spirok Rhythmic Ferrofluid: electromagnets produce changing fields to make a ferrofluid dance. I’ve posted similar devices, but this one takes the art form to the next level- and includes a quality Bluetooth speaker system. Ferrofluids are colloidal suspensions that are challenging to contain in a non-chemically reactive environment, the fluid in this device is really amazing- shown here moving to the rhythms of Tahüm.
Get this fun magnetic game here (many variations to choose from):
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Kluster Magnet Game
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Kluster Magnetic Challenge Game: explore mysterious action at distance via magnetic fields with this fun game setup. Note how the polished barium-strontium ferrite ceramic magnets repel each other when properly oriented, but once one flips over the unstable equilibrium gives way to the north/south attraction, and they quickly snap together. The game is played by taking turns placing the magnets within the boundary of the cord without any jumping together- the first to place all their magnets in the loop without any “clustering” wins, if some do cluster you take those magnets and lose your turn. Comes with the cord and a nice velvet storage bag.
Feel Flux-- available as a set, or individually (all come with the super powerful sphere magnet) here:
From feelflux.com: BUY NOW: Copper Feel Flux
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Color Magnetic Viewing Film
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Regular Magnetic Viewing Film
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Lenz's Law: a strong Feel Flux neodymium magnet falls slowly down a thick walled copper tube as though passing through a viscous liquid. Since magnetic fields pass through copper, magneview film reveals the location of the falling dipole magnet. The moving magnetic field from the falling magnet produces 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 then repels the falling magnet. Special thanks to the guys from Feel Flux who kindly sent me this awesome longer piece of the copper tube from which their amazing toy is produced.
Starter set of 10mm cubes of 99.9% pure elemets available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Pure Element Cube Samples
The main 4 ferromagnetic elements are: Fe, Co, Ni, and Gd.
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Ferromagnetic Elements: which metals from the periodic table experience strong attraction towards a magnet? Here are seven samples- 1 cm cubes of 99% pure elements: Ti (titanium), Fe (iron), Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Cu (copper), Gd (gadolinium), and W (tungsten)- which of these metals are ferromagnetic? Most metals are not, but three elements are strongly ferromagnetic and Gd is less so but still in the exclusive club. Although magnets are familiar objects, the physics of ferromagnetism is very complex and is described by the quantum mechanics of intrinsic particle spin and the specific electron configurations of solids and molecules.
Only made by the Flyte team:
From Amazon: Buda Ball
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Buda Ball: my favorite powered levitation device- and the only system I know of that will suspend in a horizontal direction as seen in this video. A spherical magnet is pinned 1.5 centimeters from the surface of its hardwood base. Within the base is an innovative control system with adjustable electromagnet coils in a feedback loop with Hall effect sensors (I assume) which allow for fine tuning of a magnetic field to precisely balance the pull of gravity- even when the base is in a vertical orientation!
Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Magnetic Suspension Lamp
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Magnetic Suspension Lamp: not only does this lamp defy gravity, the LEDs in the bulb are powered through wireless induction (no batteries needed). 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. If this lamp design is unplugged (or the power goes off) the bulb assembly does not fall, but instead snaps onto the upper armature via strong permanent magnets embedded within. Amazing physics demonstrated by clever engineering!
Get this inexpensive kit here:
From eBay: BUY NOW: Faraday Train Kit
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Here is a nice description of the Faraday Train and the physics of its propulsion.
Faraday Train Kit: a battery with magnets on both ends and a coil of bare copper are the simple essence of this self propelled craft. This kit comes with this springy copper plated coil which is ideal for this demonstration. The magnets conduct electricity, thus when put in contact with the coil current will flow creating a solenoidal magnetic field in the vicinity of the battery, which in turn pushes on the magnets at each end of the battery moving the craft along. Using spherical neodymium magnet on the front allows the craft to slide along the coil with minimal friction.
Get the original here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Perpetual Marble Machine (reccomended seller: William Le of BackToNatureDecor)
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Perpetual Motion Simulator V2.0: a version with a transparent casing that reveals the sophisticated mechanism and electronics behind the newest “perpetual motion” toy that hit the internet a couple years ago. The original version was expertly crafted to make the base look like a block of wood (see post from November), but here we see a battery, a coil, a set of large capacitors, and a blue sensor unit along with circuit boards. The sensor detects the descending metal ball and then in an amazingly short amount of time the circuit discharges the capacitors through the coil to produce a magnetic pulse that accelerates the ball. Still looking into what kind of sensor is used- but this circuit is an excellent reminder that when someone claims a perpetual motion device the question to ask is “where’s the battery hidden?”
See Steve Mould's excellent video for details on the Perpetual Motion Simulator Circuirtry