Floating Globe
The Demonstration: The floating globe is a popular desk toy.
The Physics: The small globe
has a magnet in it and the top of the device is an electromagnet. The
electromagnet is pulling up on the magnet in the globe just enough to
balance the earth’s gravity pulling down on it. The two forces are
equal and opposite so the globe floats in mid-air! (Until the table
gets bumped.)
Note: Even though this ball is painted to look like a globe, this is
NOT how the Earth stays in its orbit. The Earth's orbit is a result of
the gravitational field of the sun, not a giant magnet holding it up in
space.
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Page Updated 8/29/07
