Diamagnetic Water Demo
Petri Dish, Black Construction Paper, Neodymium Magnet Array
Petri Dish, Black Construction Paper, Neodymium Magnet Array Close up

 

Code Number: 5G30.40

Demo Title: Diamagnetic Water

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Magnetic Orientations

Area of Study: Electricity & Magnetism

Equipment: 

Petri Dish, Black Construction Paper, Neodymium Magnet Array ( 2 X 2 cube ), Syringe.

Procedure:

The easiest way to do this demo is to fill the small plastic containers with water and hang them from the thread and arm accessory.  Use the large magnet to push them around without touching the containers. 

Place the magnet array into the Petri dish.  Fill the dish with water so that it just barely covers the magnets.  Wet a piece of construction paper and place it on top of the magnets.  Use the syringe to add or subtract water so that the indentation over the magnets is readily apparent.  The water level should be about 1 mm over the top of the magnets when the effect is most apparent.  The indentation is due to the water moving away from the pole faces of the magnets, showing the diamagnetic properties of liquid water.

References:

  • Daniel Laumann, "Even Liquids Are Magnetic: Observation of the Moses Effect and the Inverse Moses Effect", TPT, Vol. 56, #6, Sept. 2018, p. 352.
  • Zijun Chen and Dan Dahlberg, "Deformation of Water by a Magnetic Field", TPT, Vol. 49, #3, Mar. 2011, p. 144.
  • Chris Conery, L. F. Goodrich, and T. C. Stauffer, "More Diamagnetism Demonstrations", TPT, Vol. 41, #2, Feb. 2003, p. 74.
  • R. Stuart, "Two Startling Demonstrations with a Magnet", AJP, Vol. 28, #7, Oct. 1960, p. 678.