RSS
From the MAKE Flickr pool
Member Cmorris posted these images of an elegantly simple levitation setup -
Folded business card behind magnets provides nice contrast. The pyrolytic graphite square floats about 2mm above the magnets, you can easily slide a business card all the way underneath without disturbing it.- Link
For those interested in learning more -
To put it simply, diamagnetism is a substance's tendency to become magnetized in the opposite direction of an externally applied magnetic field. Demonstrations of this action in organic materials can be visually stunning:
The frog that learned to fly - Link
Why does the frog fly? - Link
Related:
Diamagnetic levitation - Link
From the Maker store:
Magnetic sculpture kit - Link
Someone needs to do this with a pig.
Reply to this comment
I remember when I was in school back in 1990 I think it was making my own ceramic superconductors (the 123 YBa2Cu3O7 type in liquid nitrogen) and levitating a small magnet over them. Using a small tube you could blow air over a levitating disc shaped magnet and get it spinning at incredible speeds.
Reply to this comment
forget the pig, do it on a person.
Actually, even the relatively simple levitation with an electromagnet and a photo-sensor should be done with a person (wearing an iron vest of some sort)
Reply to this comment