What Happens When a Superconductor Meets Ferromagnetic Fluid

Watch a magnet soaked in ferromagnetic fluid float in thin air!
Loukia Papadopoulos

YouTuber The Action Lab always brings us exciting and stimulating experiments that leave us wanting more. In this video, he plays with ferromagnetic fluid and he has got us wishing we could get our hands on some of the liquid!

"In this video, I show you what happens when you bring a type II superconductor near ferrofluid that is in a magnetic field. Then I show you what happens when you pour a liter of ferrofluid on a giant neodymium magnet!" writes the YouTuber in his video description.

It's fun to watch as the liquid seems to stand straight up and form these beautiful almost graceful triangles. The YouTuber explains that the stronger the magnetic field is, the closer the spikes form together. Interestingly, he reports that it feels like the material (which normally has a viscosity close to water) almost feels solid under strong magnetic force. 

He then proceeds to illustrate this. That's not all he does though. He also manages to suspend a magnet in the air and make it twist and turn. He then pours ferromagnetic liquid over it and we get to watch as the fluid collects at the edges of the magnet.

These experiments seem to defy the laws of nature and physics while at the same time being easy to conduct even at home. Watch the video and tell us what you think.

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