Levitation

[cantbesaved]

how would levitation work? such as magnets when they dont like eachother, and is it possible to levitate stuff?

[Mr Skeptic]

Yes, we have magnetically levitated trains for example. Things can also be electrically levitated, but that seems less useful.

 

However, there is no anti-gravity. But we do have orbits, which is basically perpetually falling but never hitting the ground.

[Leader Bee]

There is levitation involved with superconductors also. My understanding is that the application for this leans more towards...well... conducting electricity more than any kind of movement/ reduction in friction due tot he levitating properties of it.

[Sisyphus]

Superconductors are useful in levitating because they are perfectly diamagnetic, which means they repel all magnetic fields. This means it is much easier to get a stabile configuration than with, say, iron magnets, that are going to try to seek out one pole of the repelling magnet. Diamagnets, on the other hand, will seek out the point of minimum field strength, which is usually in empty space.

[swansont]

Superconductors are useful in levitating because they are perfectly diamagnetic, which means they repel all magnetic fields. This means it is much easier to get a stabile configuration than with, say, iron magnets, that are going to try to seek out one pole of the repelling magnet. Diamagnets, on the other hand, will seek out the point of minimum field strength, which is usually in empty space.

 

Indeed. Earnshaw's theorem shows that there is no stable configuration for such dipoles, but does not apply to diamagnetism.

[Leader Bee]

It was my understanding that Superconductors were required to be at or very close to absolute zero to exhibit these properties. Is this not the case? I had excluded their use as a levitation mechanism due to the logistical properties of keeping a train line for example extremely cold.

[Klaynos]

It was my understanding that Superconductors were required to be at or very close to absolute zero to exhibit these properties. Is this not the case? I had excluded their use as a levitation mechanism due to the logistical properties of keeping a train line for example extremely cold.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-temperature_superconductivity

 

Enjoy.

[cantbesaved]

thanx

[ponderer]

It was my understanding that Superconductors were required to be at or very close to absolute zero to exhibit these properties. Is this not the case? I had excluded their use as a levitation mechanism due to the logistical properties of keeping a train line for example extremely cold.

 

You don't keep the track cold, if that is what you are saying. You use the superconductor in the train and keep that cold. The track you magnetize.

[Leader Bee]

Thats sounds a lot more reasonable.