Would Magnetic Monopoles Violate Conservation of Energy?

[swansont]

Now, I was considering that the magnetic dipole (an electron) could be held in place in a permanent magnet

 

Earnshaw's theorem prevents that (at least for Maxwell's equations as we currently know them, but I think it would still apply)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnshaw's_theorem

[Mr Skeptic]

Earnshaw's theorem prevents that (at least for Maxwell's equations as we currently know them, but I think it would still apply)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnshaw's_theorem

 

That really does not apply. The electrons in a permanent magnet are not stationary.

[GenerationE]

No, They would not violate the conservation of Energy, for the same reason that electric monopoles don't. The field lines are circular for a dipole not a monopole. The acceleration in the the direction of a field, given that the field is not symmetrically radial will cause you to get off of the field lines. Even with a magnetic dipole it is impossible to move in the the same direction of the field lines forever because you would eventually hit the dipole.

[swansont]

That really does not apply. The electrons in a permanent magnet are not stationary.

 

Ah, I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about a free electron being held in place by a magnet.