Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 alpha 4/15/85; site weitek.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!cae780!weitek!mmm
From: mmm@weitek.UUCP (Mark Thorson)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Magnetic Levitation
Message-ID: <249@weitek.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Aug-85 11:26:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: weitek.249
Posted: Wed Aug  7 11:26:25 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 03:53:29 EDT
Organization: Weitek Corp. Sunnyvale Ca.
Lines: 19
Keywords: magnet levitate Eddy

When I took undergrad physics in college, the department had a machine
they used to demonstrate Eddy currents.  It consisted of a round table
on casters, about three feet in diameter and four feet high. It was made
by General Electric and looked about forty or fifty years old.

The teacher would put an aluminum bowl on it (about two feet in diameter
and half a foot deep) and turn the machine on.  The machine would hum and
buzz, and the bowl would float up about half a foot.  Sometimes the
demonstrator would put some water in the bowl and force the bowl against
the table with a stick.  The Eddy currents would become very strong,
the bowl would heat up, and the water would boil.

What kind of magnetic field was being generated?  I was told that the shape
of the bowl was important, as well as the fact that the field was moving.
I would like to know enough about the field and the bowl that I could
build one.  Pointers to articles, US patents, etc on this device would
be appreciated.

Mark Thorson (...!cae780!weitek!mmm)