5 ms·

How do they work!

• todd8 11y ago
  An array of, say p, individual magnets some aligned with N up and some with S up produces a field that can be designed to repel or attract a second array of , say q, magnets (having a possibly different arrangement). What is interesting is that since the forces between any two of the individual little magnets in the arrays drops off non-linearly (inversely proportional to the square of the distance) a computer can be used to layout the p magnets in one array and the q in the other so that the aggregate force between the two arrays (i.e. the sum of all the p*q forces between all of the magnets in the two array) is attractive at some distances or orientations of the two arrays and repulsive at other distances or orientations. Imaging a simple linear arrangement of the two magnet arrays. If both look like N S N S N S N S then as the two arrangements slide past each other they will alternately repulse each other (i.e. N against N) and attract each other (N against S). This is just a simple illustration of the principle. Watch the video in the linked article from which this can be gathered and more.
• anonbanker 11y ago
  most subtle Insane Clown Posse joke ever.