Quantum levitation

[ErosOlmi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ws6AAhTw7RA#!

[Petr Schreiber]

That is amazing, and I absolutely don't understand how is it possible :D
I tried to search the website (http://astc.org/), but I was not able to find further information.


Petr

[zak]

amazing experiments
thanks Eros
more info about the experiment :
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/113717-Quantum-Levitation-The-Coolest-Science-Youll-See-Today

[danbaron]

I didn't watch the video, with my connection 11 MB is too much to download for 2 minutes of viewing (I realize that is my problem, not yours.).
But, from what I can see, I can do something very similar, using only two magnets - believe it or not! :bom:

Here is something that explains quantum levitation a little bit.

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~ulf/levitation.html (http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/%7Eulf/levitation.html)

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi Dan,

I think the video is worth the wait, it is not like any other levitation video I have seen. Levitation via magnets is nice, but this one allows you to manually finetune the position and orientation of the body and it then stays in that position - it does not have to be in balanced position... hard to explain with words.


Petr

[danbaron]

OK, then, I'll download it, Petr.

I was being a little deceptive anyway.

I remember, when I was a kid, multiple times having a toy consisting of two bar magnets.

On top of one magnet, was attached a white plastic terrier dog, and on top of the other one, the dog was black.

I would use them to test the magnetic attractive and repulsive forces.

From experience (and as I know you know), it is impossible to produce stable levitation.

The levitated dog will simultaneously try to fall sideways - and to rotate horizontally 180 degrees, so that opposite poles are adjacent, and the force is attractive.

But, for kids, the simplest toy like that one, is interesting again and again.

Of course, another fun one, is the spinning "top" - which I think is where the idea for the gyroscope came from.

Very simple toys, can demonstrate deep and amazing physical laws.

(I should add that I have previously seen stable levitation. But, always performed by magicians. They can make a subject laying (lying) horizontally, slowly rise up into the air, and hover, before slowly descending again. Now, maybe their trick is revealed!)

And, I do remember that the subjects were smoking, like the levitated "puck" shown in the first frame of the video. If the magician was not careful, sometimes the subject would descend too quickly, and shatter on the floor - it was very sad.

:p

[kryton9]

Here they explain it at the second video.

http://www.flixxy.com/quantum-levitation.htm

[danbaron]

I watched it.

Wow, it seems that's the way to travel.

No friction.

Once you are going, the only thing trying to stop you would be the wind.

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi Dan,

I am happy you liked the video.
Friend at work told me some models of the maglev trains in Japan already use similar technology, including cooling of the train part.


Petr

[DirectuX]

I always wondered "for permanent magnets, where do the magnetic energy come from, since it looks inexhaustible" ?