Has anyone seen a better SMOT toy than this one?

[Willy]

Gets me thinking harder.

observations

1. The hight peak in the track is nearest to the exit end of the magnet.

2. The side of the track in which the ball gains speed, is longer than the
exiting side of the ramp. 

3. On approach the ball has more distance closely exposed to the magnets field
and in which to gain speed and momentum than it has distance  closely exposed
to the magnets field in which to lose speed and momentum after the height peak ?

4. The angle of approach of the ball to the magnet is in a direction which will
impart more force      along the direction     of its travel along the track
than
the angle of its departure from the height peak takes      from the direction      of its travel
along the track ?

Or stated another way.

The magnet's pull direction is more oblique after the height peak, and does not
as directly oppose the balls     direction of momentum    along the track
as does
the entrance side's  pull from the magnet upon the ball's  less oblique approach
contributes to the ball's gaining momentum in the      direction of its travel     along
the track ?

5. The force along the length of the magnet surface (left to right) at a given near
and same distance, is greatest near to the ends of the magnet.  The force balances
(left to right) at the center of the magnet's length.

Build at least one segment ?  Hell yes.

[sm0ky2]

In addition to the above observations,
there is also the gravitational field acting to free the ball from the gate.


Gravitational vector is always downwards
Therefore: gravity represents the side leg of a right triangle.
The bottom leg being in the horizontal along the length of the track,
where the ball touches.
The Hypotenuse is then drawn from the ball to the center of the magnetic bar
The force vector of magnetism being along the Hypotenuse.


The shorter the Hypotenuse, the greater the force.
(observation the inventor keeps this weaker than gravity)


hypothesis: it is almost entirely a function of momentum that pushes the ball over the ramp.
Magnetism has very little effect on the vertical transition.


I think it is for this reason, (the specific use of gravity) that it was labeled a "smot"
rather than a gate

[sm0ky2]

What would be the outcome if we used this type of small ramp track
With some of the other gates?
HJ? Tri-Force? V ?




What would be the outcome if we used this type of gate with a flat track
and omitted the ramps?

[Willy]

Agree

This is not within what I would call, the V gate family.

The commonalities in V gate devices

1.  The presence of a series of escalations in
the strength of the force exerted as magnetic attraction,
upon a mobile and attracted object, by means of a series of magnets.
Typically this is a series of pairs of magnets.

2. The first attraction in the series, exerts the weakest attraction force.

3. The final attraction in the series, exerts the greatest attraction force.

4. The objective being, the escape of the mobile object from the final
attraction in the series by means of momentum.

[sm0ky2]

Agree

This is not within what I would call, the V gate family.

The commonalities in V gate devices

1.  The presence of a series of escalations in
the strength of the force exerted as magnetic attraction,
upon a mobile and attracted object, by means of a series of magnets.
Typically this is a series of pairs of magnets.

2. The first attraction in the series, exerts the weakest attraction force.

3. The final attraction in the series, exerts the greatest attraction force.

4. The objective being, the escape of the mobile object from the final
attraction in the series by means of momentum.

V gates also exist with only a single pair of magnets acting as one gate
Such as two bar magnets at an angle


The same effect occurs with less strength using a 1/2 v gate
which is a single magnet at the same angle


Every Magnetic Gate functions exactly the same
They can all be simplified to the Howard Johnson


https://youtu.be/o6F9I5OiSTE


even something as complex as this:
https://youtu.be/gzNyzSS3BYs