Materials

• Two magnetic rings, 2 inch outer diameter and 1 inch inner diameter

• Plastic tube, 1 inch diameter

• Glue Gun

Procedure

1. Glue the first magnet to the lowest end of the tube.

2. Wait until it is completely dry and firm

3. Place the second magnet over the opposite end of the plastic tube with the pole facing down that the other one is facing up. So that they repel each other. (i.e. a North face against a North face)

4. Let the magnet slide down the tube and see what happens.

Observations

The upper magnet bounces up and down until it stabilizes and remains hovering in a fixed position.

Explanation

The two magnets are mechanically constrained along a single vertical axis (a piece of tube, for example), and arranged to repel each other. This will act to levitate one of the magnets above the other. The gravity of the earth is pulling the upper magnet down while at the same time the magnetic force repels it from the lower magnet. The upper magnet will hover in the position where both forces are equally strong.