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Abstract and Background:

For decades, conventional trains, a major source of land transportation, have served people around the world. But the issue is that conventional trains create too much noise and pollution. Also the world is becoming a smaller place for business. As such, people travel longer distances, more often, and so there are longer travel times. This leads to too much fossil fuel consumption and that rate is increasing. That is why some people say, in the next 50 years, that the fossil fuel resource is going to run out. Faster fuel consumption also leads to increased pollution in the environment. So in short, we need travel times to be made shorter and we need a renewable energy source which is clean. But how do we get all this done in one shot? This is where the Magnetic Levitating train comes in.

Imagine you are in a train and to your surprise, the train creates no noise, no pollution and has no wheels! As the train gets going, it goes faster and faster. You think you are going to crash. “But is the train going to really crash, or is it just “floating” and running along the track at high speeds on magnets?” Well, you’re right, that’s the concept behind the Magnetic Levitating train. Levitation means to rise or “float” in the air especially in seeming defiance of gravity. Using principles of magnetism to float in the air against gravity is called Magnetic Levitation.

Purpose: To show how the laws of repulsion and attraction of magnetic poles are used in a levitating train.

Hypothesis is that the train will float above the track and move ahead without much resistance. Among the three different magnets attached to the train and used for propulsion, the smallest (and the lightest) magnet will push it the farthest when repelled by a powerful bar “driver magnet” fixed to the end of the track.