MAKE: Blog: Diamagnetic levitation on a jar lid

Diamagnetic levitation on a jar lid

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

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: PattiS on March 3, 2008 at 12:59 PM

Someone needs to do this with a pig.

Posted by: Simon on March 4, 2008 at 3:28 PM

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.

Posted by: fhayashi on March 9, 2008 at 6:28 PM

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)

Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!

Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.

$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)

Subscribe now

Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out... Welcome to the Make Blog!

Features and more @ MAKE!

Get MAKE 14 - Subscribe or on newsstands!

Add MAKE to iGoogle - GoogleGoogle.
Add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.
Add MAKE on Twitter.
Add MAKE on FriendFeed & the MAKE room.

Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!

Click here to advertise on MAKE!

Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311

Gareth Branwyn
Robot Maker

Kip Kay
Video Maker

Jonah Brucker-Cohen
Artist / Researcher

Suggest a Site!

Natalie Zee Drieu
Senior Editor
CRAFT

Becky Stern
Culture jammer

Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker

Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker

Current Podcast

Weekend Project: Styrofoam Plate Speaker Get surprisingly good sound from disposable picnicware with this easy to make and inexpensive Styrofoam Plate Speaker. Thanks go to José Pino for the original article in Make Magazine.To download Styrofoam Plate Speaker MP4 click here or subscribe in... More...

Get the Make blog sent via email

Enter your email to receive the Make blog each day:

WOW! Thanks to everyone involved with Maker Faire Bay Area: attendees, makers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and crew...it was AMAZING! Over 400 Makers and 60,000+ attendees! Be sure to check out the photos @ Flickr, and our Maker Faire posts for all the action! The next scheduled Maker Faire is Austin: Oct. 18th & 19th, 2008 - Travis County Expo Center!