Rising force : the magic of magnetic levitation / James D. Livingston.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Livingston, James D., 1930-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Magnetic fields.

Magnetic suspension.

Physical Description:

xi, 271 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 2011.

Summary:

In this shamelessly entertaining chronicle, Livingston, a former industry physicist and MIT lecturer, narrates the history and science of magnetic levitation in a clear and accessible manner inviting to both veteran and amateur enthusiasts. After a short reflection on the cultural import of levitation ranging from Harry Potter and Houdini to ninjas, yogis and 16th century Catholic saints, he settles in to describe the fundamental science of magnetism, gravity, force fields, stabilization, diamagnetism, superdiamagnetism, and maglev nanotechnology; key figures in their discovery and development; and the fascinating depth and breadth of technology based on these processes (levitating frogs and 360 mile per hour trains feature prominently), as well as exactly how it all works. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Contents:

Levity vs. gravity

Gravitational and magnetic forces

Maglev-a balance of forces

Spinning the levitron

Inducing uplift

Flying frogs

Super-lev

Feeding back

In a spin

The no-spin zone

Flying trains

All aboard!

Keeping it up.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780674055353

0674055357

OCLC:

676725380