Abstract
This article aims to investigate the dynamics and stability of a magnetic levitation system in which the rotation of a smaller magnet, placed beneath a non-magnetic conductive plate, induces the levitation of a larger, disk-shaped magnet above the plate. The disk magnet, when steadily levitated, exhibits steady precession, maintaining a consistent precession angle and elevation. By simplifying the dynamic model of the magnets, this study describes the system’s equilibrium state. The stability of levitation height and precession angle is verified by an analysis of effective potential energy. Through exclusively built experimental apparatuses, the reliability and accuracy of the experiment are enhanced and data validating the theoretic model is attained. The results of experiments affirm that the motion characteristic of levitating magnet depends on the revolving rate of the beneath cubic magnet, and the damping effect generated by eddy current of non-magnetic conductive plate stabilizes this motion. Ultimately, this article identifies the physical essence of nontrivial magnetic levitation as a combination of gyroscopic effects and magnetic repulsion force. This conclusion enriches theories of magnet interaction, and offers technical application of magnetic levitation with a novel perspective.