World's Strongest Magnet!

Veritasium・2 minutes read

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida holds the Guinness World Record for the strongest continuous magnetic field, generating 45 Tesla and showcasing various magnetic properties of materials. Google sponsors research on magnets for future technologies like electric vehicles, highlighting their importance and potential applications.

Insights

  • The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida holds the Guinness World Record for the strongest continuous magnetic field at 45 Tesla, a million times stronger than Earth's magnetic field, achieved through a combination of superconducting and resistive magnets.
  • High field magnets can levitate non-magnetic objects, induce eddy currents in materials, and showcase surprising behaviors of non-ferromagnetic substances, highlighting the diverse applications and implications of strong magnetic fields.

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Recent questions

  • What is the strongest continuous magnetic field in the world?

    The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida holds the Guinness World Record for the strongest continuous magnetic field since 2000, generating a magnetic field of 45 Tesla.

  • How does the world's strongest magnet affect objects within its field?

    Objects within the fringe field of the magnet start orienting themselves to the field, with ferromagnetic objects moving towards it, showcasing the immense power and influence of the magnet's magnetic field.

  • What is the process to ramp up the world's strongest magnet to full power?

    Ramping up the magnet to full power requires putting 47,000 amps of current into the outer superconducting electromagnet, showcasing the significant energy and technical requirements involved in operating such a powerful magnet.

  • What are some surprising behaviors of materials in the strong magnetic field?

    The behavior of non-ferromagnetic materials in the strong magnetic field is surprising, with materials conducting electricity falling slower than non-conductors, highlighting the unique and unexpected effects of the magnet's immense power.

  • How do high field magnets generate such strong magnetic fields?

    High field magnets combine superconducting outserts with resistive inner electromagnets to generate up to 45 Tesla, showcasing the advanced technology and engineering required to create and maintain such powerful magnetic fields.

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Summary

00:00

"World's Strongest Magnet: Power and Potential"

  • The world's strongest magnet can generate electric current, levitate non-magnetic objects, and disrupt camera equipment due to its immense magnetic power.
  • The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida holds the Guinness World Record for the strongest continuous magnetic field since 2000.
  • The magnet creates a magnetic field of 45 Tesla, nearly a million times stronger than Earth's magnetic field, achieved through an outer superconducting magnet and an inner resistive magnet.
  • The maximum magnetic field only occurs in the center of a narrow cylinder within the apparatus, which is two stories tall.
  • Objects within the fringe field of the magnet start orienting themselves to the field, with ferromagnetic objects moving towards it.
  • Ramping up the magnet to full power requires putting 47,000 amps of current into the outer superconducting electromagnet.
  • Eddy currents induced by changing magnetic flux in materials slow down their movement, as seen with falling metal plates and projectiles fired across the magnet.
  • The induced electric energy in materials is dissipated as heat or light, as demonstrated by projectiles with coils of wire connected to LEDs.
  • The behavior of non-ferromagnetic materials in the strong magnetic field is surprising, with materials conducting electricity falling slower than non-conductors.
  • Google sponsored a portion of the video, emphasizing the importance of magnets in future technologies like electric vehicles and their commitment to sustainability.

13:33

"Superconductors defy magnetic fields, levitate objects"

  • High temperature superconductors have zero electrical resistance below their critical temperature, inducing currents to oppose changes in flux and expel magnetic fields.
  • Defects engineered into superconductors trap magnetic field lines, preventing movement and locking the material in a magnetic configuration.
  • The human levitator involves a 90-pound magnet hovering above a ring of superconductors, creating a repelling magnetic field when a person stands on it.
  • Materials exhibit para magnetism (attracted to magnetic fields) or diamagnetism (repelled by magnetic fields), with water being an example of the latter.
  • Strong magnetic fields can levitate objects like strawberries, raspberries, and even living organisms due to their diamagnetic properties.
  • High field magnets combine superconducting outserts with resistive inner electromagnets to generate up to 45 Tesla.
  • Operating the world's strongest magnets requires significant energy, with the Mag Lab consuming 8% of Tallahassee's electricity and an estimated monthly budget of $250,000 to $300,000.
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