Solenoid question ???

[jalbers@bsu.edu]

I have been doing some experimenting with a relatively short
cylindrical permanent magnet and a solenoid with DC current applied.
I would like an explanation as to why these two things happen.

Placing the magnet near the left end of the solenoid and applying
current will cause the magnet to move to the right and stop at the
center of the solenoid. Manually moving the magnet back slightly to
the left and reversing current will cause the magnet to move to the
left.


Placing the magnet near the left end of the solenoid and applying
current will cause the magnet to move to the right and stop at the
center of the solenoid. Manually moving the magnet slightly to the
right and reversing current will cause the magnet to continue moving
to the right.


Before doing these experiments my conjecture was that the magnet
placed at the end of the solenoid would pass completely through the
solenoid. My thinking was that movement of the magnet would be
caused
by the flux lines of the magnet and the solenoid being in different
directions all the way through the inside of the solenoid.


Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Rich Grise]

On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:31:01 -0800, jalbers@bsu.edu wrote:

I have been doing some experimenting with a relatively short cylindrical
permanent magnet and a solenoid with DC current applied. I would like an
explanation as to why these two things happen.

Placing the magnet near the left end of the solenoid and applying current
will cause the magnet to move to the right and stop at the center of the
solenoid. Manually moving the magnet back slightly to the left and
reversing current will cause the magnet to move to the left.

Placing the magnet near the left end of the solenoid and applying current
will cause the magnet to move to the right and stop at the center of the
solenoid. Manually moving the magnet slightly to the right and reversing
current will cause the magnet to continue moving to the right.

Before doing these experiments my conjecture was that the magnet placed at
the end of the solenoid would pass completely through the solenoid. My
thinking was that movement of the magnet would be caused
by the flux lines of the magnet and the solenoid being in different
directions all the way through the inside of the solenoid.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Learn about magnetic poles.

Good Luck!
Rich