What happens when you drop a magnet down a copper tube?

Eddy Current Tubes — Drop the Magnets down the tube. An eddy current is set up in a conductor in response to a changing magnetic field. Lenz’s law predicts that the current moves in such a way as to create a magnetic field opposing the change; to do this in a conductor, electrons swirl in a plane perpendicular to the changing magnetic field.

Because the magnetic fields of the eddy currents oppose the magnetic field of the falling magnet; there is attraction between the two fields. Energy is converted into heat. This principle is used in damping the oscillation of the lever arm of mechanical balances.

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5 thoughts on “What happens when you drop a magnet down a copper tube?”

  1. I tried this, it blew my mind.
    I don’t understand the damping of the
    oscillation of the lever arm of mechanical
    balances, but it was awsome.

    Reply

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