Maglev Cars: What's the Attraction?

The students will demonstrate their knowledge of the basic properties of magnets by constructing maglev cars. They will demonstrate that the North and North poles or the South and South poles of the magnets will repel each other. Using this property students will build cars that will float upon a magnetic field and be propelled down a track by an electric motor.

Step 1

This is an 8 ft. section of the track. I made 3 sections for a total of 24 ft. of racing length. The total number of magnets used was 600. Each magnet is 2" x 3/4" x 1/4". They're called Domino Magnets.  I bought them on Ebay from a wholesale liquidator who gave me a great deal when he found out I was using them for school. The base for the track is made from 3/4 inch OS board covered with 1/4 plywood (the smooth stuff that's used before you tile your floor). The rails were made from aluminum coil that is used in roofing. A friend of mine owns a break and he bent it for me into the rail shape. A break is a tool that is used to bend metal.

Comments

[margoob]

really awesome!!! You sound just like my high school physics teacher and he was super awesome!

It'd be great if you had a short demo video of a car doing test run :)

I envy your students..

[nattyclem]

I wish my school did this or I wish I had all the magnets.
Very awesome!.

[wilgubeast]

Super awesome. I want to race maglev cars. Wish I had been in your class when I was learning magnetism. What grade level is this for?

[jetringer]

This is for 7th and 8th graders.

[mikeasaurus]

Fun project for your students!