Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Vroomfondel
magnetically levitated frogs and spiders

IIRC, it was the iron in the hemoglobin in the blood that was reacting to the magnetic field...

9 posted on 04/10/2003 4:50:55 PM PDT by fourdeuce82d
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies ]


To: fourdeuce82d; algol
IIRC, it was the iron in the hemoglobin in the blood that was reacting to the magnetic field

I believe the frog levitation relied on a property of materials called diamagnetism. This is a weak repulsive force that is not the same as ferromagnetism (the strong magnetic property of iron-like materials). I seem to recall that they also levitated strawberries, which have no hemoglobin, but do have water, which is diamagnetic.) Unfortunately, extremely strong magnetic fields are required for this technique, so it's not so practical for levitating larger objects.

I believe the levitating coins is based on a third type of magnetism. Oxygen is paramagnetic, meaning that it is weakly attracted to a magnetic field. In this experiment they appear to have induced a density/pressure gradient in high pressure oxygen using a strong magnetic field. The coins then float at this gradient.

20 posted on 04/10/2003 6:09:27 PM PDT by wideminded
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson