[meteorite-list] Fun with NdFeB magnets

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:02:32 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C8698E5B13_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

John Sinclair wrote:

> Powerful magnets for meteorite hunting can be found at:
> http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/magnets.html
> http://wondermagnet.net/

> I have some similar magnets and I really have to be careful
> handling 2 of them. When they say they 'bite', they mean it.

Yes -- careless handling of two of these bad boys will result
in some dandy blood blisters and/or shattered magnets.

If you really want to impress your kids/friends/co-workers,
buy a few of the 1/2" diameter, 2-mm thick, disk-shaped magnets
from them (they look a little like watch batteries). Then buy
a 2-foot length of 9/16" inner-diameter copper pipe from Home
Depot or Ace Hardware (or wherever). The pipe will run you a
couple bucks.

Suspending the pipe vertically with one hand (pinching the
top end with your thumb and index finger so that it hangs
straight down), drop the magnet into the pipe opening
with your other hand. I won't spoil the surprise by
telling you what happens!

If you've never seen this done before, you will have fun
reasoning out the physics... ;-) --Rob
Received on Fri 22 Mar 2002 05:45:18 PM PST