I mean, I always used to fancy as a kid why can’t we use magnets to keep a fan going in circles? Why can”t we create a perpetual machine using magnets? Even if the magnets get worn out, we can still use them for considerable time. What is the science behind it that makes it impossible?
In: Engineering
If a magnet’s north pole pushes away, then imagine rolling a ball towards a hill. It will slow down and eventually turn around and roll back down. It will take energy to get the ball to the top of the hill.
If a magnet’s south pole pulls, then imagine rolling a ball into a valley. It’ll roll faster and faster until it reaches the bottom and stop there. Taking it back out of that valley will need energy.
There’s no configuration of hills and valleys that will make a ball roll forever up and down. Likewise, there’s no configuration of north and south poles that will allow for something to move forever.
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