Magnetic monopoles, anyone?

topic posted Sun, October 18, 2009 - 12:13 PM by  Larry
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'Magnetic electricity' discovered

By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News

Researchers have discovered a magnetic equivalent to electricity: single magnetic charges that can behave and interact like electrical ones.

The work is the first to make use of the magnetic monopoles that exist in special crystals known as spin ice.

Writing in Nature journal, a team showed that monopoles gather to form a "magnetic current" like electricity.

Read more here.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/techn...8307804.stm
posted by:
Larry
Sacramento
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  • Re: Magnetic monopoles, anyone?

    Sun, October 18, 2009 - 12:34 PM
    The researchers were able to simulate magnetic-monopole-like behavior. Did they create actual monopole particles? No, they did not. But Psychic Larry claims that you can create your own *2-dimensional* magnetic monopole.

    Get some wedge-shaped magnets, each of which has a South pole at the sharp end. Super-glue the wedges together to make a circular disk. You'll need to use duct tape to hold the assembly together while the glue is drying. You may need to limit the number of wedges that you add on in any given stage of the construction.

    Lay the magnetic disk down on a table. Using a bar magnet, which you keep in contact with the table at all times, you'll see that the outside of the disk is one large North pole. From a Flatland perspective, it's a magnetic monopole.

    On the other hand, if you approach the center of the disk from above with a bar magnet, the center will behave like a South pole. From an ordinary 3-dimensional perspective, the disk is *not* a magnetic monopole.
  • Re: Magnetic monopoles, anyone?

    Sun, October 18, 2009 - 1:57 PM
    How very interesting.
    Are there crystals with a Plus ( north) and other with a Minus (South) polarity?
    • Re: Magnetic monopoles, anyone?

      Sun, October 18, 2009 - 2:58 PM
      I don't think so. This article, like many pop sci articles, is very hand-wavy. But my impression is that the researchers have simply modeled monopole behavior. IOW, what they observed was in some ways consistent with the existing theory of magnetic monopoles. We won't be able to buy a jar of mixed magnetic monopole crystals at Home Depot anytime soon.

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