Posted by Leo C. (206.128.144.94) on May 23, 2002 at 08:36:51:
In Reply to: Re: SMOT information - closing the loop? posted by L. P. Marken on March 04, 2002 at 08:28:49:
: I don't get it.
: The SMOT idea looks really good, and some people obviously put lot of work into the ramp etc. So why has noone been able to close the loop? Or have they?
: If the SMOT can really achieve several millimeters of lift for 12 mm steel ball, it should be a simple matter to bring the ball back to the front of the ramp. It is, after all, a steel ball. It will roll great distances on a slanted pane of glass, so I don't see how bringing the ball back to the start of the track should be a problem.
: Is the ball "dragged" onto the track by the magnets? Or must force be applied to the ball to make it enter the track? Does anyone know?
: LPM
I was wonder about this too. My answer (based on theory, not experiment) would be that in order to escape the srong magnetic field at the top of the ramp, the ball must be able to fall stright down. In other words, if there was not a sudden drop at the top of the track, the ball would simply get stuck there.
Note that, on Naudin's SMOT diagram, the final elevation of the ball is lower than its staring point. So perhaps the "excess energy" actually drives from this fact?
Leo C.