Testing a SMOT

[z_p_e]

One other aspect of this setup that may be getting overlooked, is the fact that magnetic fields are conservative.

The SMOT magnets do impart energy to the ball by raising it against gravity, but in an equal and opposite fashion, they will take back that energy (due to attraction) upon the release of the ball at point C.

[bluedemon]

This reminds me of the seinfeld soup-nazi episode.

Omnibus = SMOT-nazi

No OU for you!!!!

[Mr.Entropy]

One other aspect of this setup that may be getting overlooked, is the fact that magnetic fields are conservative.

The SMOT magnets do impart energy to the ball by raising it against gravity, but in an equal and opposite fashion, they will take back that energy (due to attraction) upon the release of the ball at point C.

Permanent magnet magnetic fields are conservative, but since the magnetization of the ball is not constant, your conclusion doesn't follow from that.

Cheers,

Mr. Entropy

[Liberty]

One other aspect of this setup that may be getting overlooked, is the fact that magnetic fields are conservative.

The SMOT magnets do impart energy to the ball by raising it against gravity, but in an equal and opposite fashion, they will take back that energy (due to attraction) upon the release of the ball at point C.

I have a differing opinion on the matter of energy to and from a magnet.

It appears to me by observation, that not only does the magnet impart a magnetic field of energy in attracting the ball; but that the magnet also exerts even more energy (magnetic force) to prevent the escape of the ball once within the attraction field of the magnet.  The magnet does not appear to 'take back' energy from the ball to the magnet, because the magnet has no apparent ability to store energy from external devices. 

A magnetic force in a magnet is the result of aligned magnetic particles, as I understand it.  It is apparently a function of the magnetic material itself to maintain it's own magnetic particle strength via the electron at the atomic level.  When a magnet is demagnetized, it is simply returned to a state of random disorder of magnetic particles, where the internal magnetic particles favor the nearest flux flow toward each other, causing a cancellation of the external magnetic field in a closed magnetic loop with each other. 

I agree that the magnetic field from a magnet tends to be conservative, normally.

Just my opinion though, but I believe it has merit. 

[z_p_e]

In saying the permanent magnets "take back" the energy imparted to the ball in the first place, the reference was not in terms of losing or gaining magnetic flux, but to energy imparted to the ball; first as potential energy, then as kinetic energy.

In the video it may appear that the SMOT magnets have no affect on the ball as it leaves the ramp, but I assure you it does. There will be an attraction to the ball as it is released, and is set free from the ramp only due to inertia and gravity. There will be a small amount of loss in the process, and the amount should be equivalent to the amount gained by the ascension to point C.

So in summary, it would not matter how high or how long the ramp is (there are functional limits), the net kinetic gain from point C to point A is the same if the ball is dropped from point C minus the height of the ramp, to point A without the presence of the ramp.

Minato's wheel is a good example and analogous to the effect the SMOT magnets have on the ball. He uses slanted magnets tapering in on half of the perimeter of a wheel. An external magnet is used to cause rotation. The wheel quickly accelerates out of the "gate", but when the first magnet comes back around, the "gate" is closed and the wheel is quickly opposed, so rotation stops.

In this case, the energy gained is not enough to overcome the opposing energy required to push through the starting gate. To make Minato's wheel work, the external (hand-held) magnet must be "skewed" in position to allow re-entry into the accelerating line of magnets. The process repeats.