Tren Maglev Var 2

8/12/2019 Tren Maglev Var 2

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Exper iments with magnets interacting with other magnets

Levitating Train

Description:

This is a great demonstration of like poles repelling each other. We have aplatform which floats above a pair of magnetic tracks, and can be gently pushed toone end or the other. This is similar in concept to the MAGLEV trains which are

being worked on in Germany, Japan and France.

Construction:

The tracks are simply two magnet strips, each measuring about 24" long, 1/2"wide, 1/8" thick, with their North side facing up. They are placed about 1/8" infrom the edges of a piece of 3/4" thick wood shelving (with a white melaminesurface) base, 24" long and 4" wide. Ends and a back wall are attached to the base,about 3" tall. The front of the base has a Plexiglas wall attached to it, so that youcan see the train platform float above the tracks.
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The train platform is made of foam-core board, 3 and 7/8" wide by 6" long and1/4" thick. On the bottom is a pair of magnet strips, about 6" long, 1/2" wide, 1/4"thick, with their North side facing down. They are placed about 1/8" in from theside edges.

Attached to the ends of the base and to the ends of the train platform are smallerdisk ceramic magnets, placed so that the North ends face each other so that they actas springs when the train reaches the end of the track. An extra strip of foam-core

board was added to the top and bottom to provide a larger area to attach the endmagnets.

Along the side edges of the platform was placed a strip of Teflon tape. This

provided a very smooth, slippery surface for the train to rub against as it travelsdown the track. The back wall and the Plexiglas front wall are needed to keep the

platform centered above the tracks. What would happen if they weren't there?

TheLEGOpeople were added as passengers for interest.

An excellent site for more in-depth information on MAGLEV trains:www.calpoly.edu/~cm/studpage/clottich/fund.html

Demonstration:Give the train platform a gentle push from one side to the other. You will see itfloat over the tracks. The magnets on the ends keep the platform from hitting theends (don't smash it into the ends!).

Conclusions:

This is just a fun experiment which demonstrates the like poles repelling principleof magnetics. There are four pairs of poles repelling each other on this train.
http://www.lego.com/http://www.lego.com/http://www.lego.com/http://www.calpoly.edu/~cm/studpage/clottich/fund.htmlhttp://www.calpoly.edu/~cm/studpage/clottich/fund.htmlhttp://www.calpoly.edu/~cm/studpage/clottich/fund.htmlhttp://www.lego.com/


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This is a simplified diagram showing the areas of attraction and repulsion betweenthe magnets for this experiment.

The magnets we used for our experiment were from a kit puttogether by Dowling Magnets called Magnetic Levitation Set-SDK100.

Dowling MagnetsCatalog(http://www.jalts.com/nature/dowling).

Just A Lil' Toy StoreChar HerronPostal Box 222Arcadia, FL 34265863 494 2980

They provided the two long magnet strips for the "tracks" as

well as the two shorter pieces for the bottom of the platform.
http://www.jalts.com/nature/dowling/sciencekits/sciencekits.htmlhttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowling/sciencekits/sciencekits.htmlhttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowling/sciencekits/sciencekits.htmlhttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowlinghttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowlinghttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowlinghttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowlinghttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowlinghttp://www.jalts.com/nature/dowling/sciencekits/sciencekits.html


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We mounted the tracks onto a piece of shelving, and used apiece of foam core board for the platform. This worked outbetter than the wooden pieces which came with the kit. Don't

forget the sides to keep the platform centered above thetracks! This kit costs about $25, but it's possible to purchaseonly some of the strip magnets for a lot less from DowlingMagnets.

Since the foam core platform we used was so light, themagnets do not have to be real strong. With the ones that

came in the kit, the bottom of the platform magnets floatabout 1/4" above the tracks.

Also available from Edmund 81-462, AS&S 89714

Search
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Tren Maglev Var 2