Schematic illustration of a horseshoe magnet.

Flying Paper Clip

How Can You Make a Paper Clip Levitate?

 

Materials

  • small steel paper clip
  • thread about 6 in. long (15 cm)
  • small piece of tape
  • bar magnet

Try This

  1. Tie the thread to the paper clip.
  2. Tape the other end of the string to something stationary, like a table, so that the paper clip dangles off the edge.
  3. Hold the magnet above the paper clip a little farther away than the length of the thread.

What's Going On?

When a magnet gets near certain non-magnetic metals, the magnetic field of the magnet flows through the metal. This causes the metal's moving parts to start moving in the same direction as the magnet and become attracted to the magnet. Magnets can be used to make things levitate. Some trains use magnets to levitate them over a track and travel with little friction.

Schematic illustration of holding the magnet above the paper clip a little farther away than the length of the thread.