Practical display of Lenz’s Law: Magnet drop in a Copper pipe

Marvie C. Valiente*, Angela C. Ortizano, Shane A. Bañados, Ariel S. Balinas, Michelle Marie S.
Villamayor

Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Central Mindanao University, University Town, Musuan,
Maramag, Bukidnon, Philippines
*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract
Lenz’s law was demonstrated by dropping a magnet through an 85 cm long copper pipe, illustrating electromagnetic
induction. The behavior of the magnet descent was compared by letting the magnet pass through a non-conducting
PVC pipe with the same length as the copper pipe. As the magnet descends inside the copper pipe, a changing magnetic
field is created around it inducting an electric current. It is observed that this induced current, according to Lenz's Law,
generates a magnetic field opposing the motion of the magnet. Consequently, a resistance force is produced, slowing
down the magnet's descent. This experiment effectively demonstrates the interaction between magnetism and
electricity, guided by fundamental principles, and highlights the conservation of energy and predictable behavior in
electromagnetic systems. The apparatus is lightweight, portable, and does not require electricity to operate making it
suitable as an instructional device for various fields of physics.

Keywords: Lenz’s law, electromagnetic induction, magnetic field, resistance force

1 Introduction
A home-made experimental apparatus illustrating Lenz’s law was constructed at CMU with locally available
materials. The apparatus is designed to teach Physics concepts of magnetism on conductors to high school and
college students. In 1834, the scientific community was enthusiastic with the discovery of Eddy currents, a
phenomenon identified by a researcher named Heinrich Lenz. Specifically, this tackles the interactions between
magnets and copper pipes—a material notably non-magnetic in nature. The quest for understanding the unique
properties of Eddy currents thus began, promising to unveil new knowledge in the field of electromagnetism
Electromagnetic induction can be demonstrated through neodymium magnet and a copper pipe as shown in
Figure 1. As the magnet falls, it induces currents in the copper pipe. These currents, in turn, generate a magnetic
field that opposes the change in the magnetic field of the falling magnet [1]. This opposition slows down the fall
of the magnet, creating a visually striking demonstration of Lenz’s Law. The principle behind this experiment is
Lenz’s Law, which is a manifestation of the conservation of energy [2]. Lenz’s Law states that the direction of an
induced current will always oppose the change in the circuit or the magnetic field that produces it.
In this experiment, as the magnet falls, it changes the magnetic field inside the copper pipe. This change creates
an electric force (EMF) that makes a current flow in the pipe. According to Lenz’s Law, this current produces a
magnetic field that pushes against the falling magnet, causing it to slow down. [1].

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of Lenz’s Law

The formula reflecting Lenz’s Law is encapsulated in Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, where the
negative sign signifies the opposition to the change:

Δϕ
𝜀 = −𝑁 Δ𝑡
(1)

Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas

42nd Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Conference
Batangas State University, Batangas City, 3–6 July 2024
1
In the formula, 𝜀 is the electromotive force which is the induced, N is the number of loops, Δϕ is the change in
magnetic flux, and Δt is the change in time [2]. In addition, Lenz’s Law determines the direction of the induced
current and its magnetic field, ensuring energy conservation. Meanwhile, Faraday’s Law precisely defines how a
varying magnetic field produces an electromotive force. When combined, they offer a complete explanation of the
electromagnetic induction process.
As a magnet falls through a copper pipe, it induces Eddy currents due to electromagnetic induction, creating
opposing magnetic fields. These fields generate a resistive force, known as the Lorentz force, which slows down
the magnet's motion. Lorentz force is given by
𝐹 = 𝑞 (𝐸 + 𝑣 × 𝐵 ) (2)
Where F is the Lorentz force, q is the charge, E stands for electric field, v for velocity, and B for magnetic field.
Furthermore, the experiment used neodymium magnets to fall on both the copper pipe and polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) pipe at the same time. Neodymium magnets are known for their exceptional magnetic strength quantify in
comparison to other magnets, having a high coercivity, maintaining their magnetism even with the presence of
external magnetic fields [5]. The experiment also utilized a copper pipe because copper exhibits diamagnetic
characteristics, which possess complete shells that behave as electric current loops that orient themselves in
specific ways in magnetic fields. They are repelled by a magnetic field and move in the opposite direction of it.
[6].

In this experiment, it aims to demonstrate Lenz's law using a simple experiment involving a magnet and a
copper pipe and to observe the effects of electromagnetic induction as the magnet is dropped through the copper
pipe. The null hypothesis is that there is no significant difference in the magnet’s descent time whether it is dropped
through a copper or PVC pipe. The significance of this experiment is to determine the direction of the induced
current and the magnetic field induced by the current. It is a crucial principle in electromagnetism, underpinning
many phenomena and technologies, including electric generators, metal detectors, and braking systems on trains
[3]. The magnet drop experiment serves as a compelling demonstration of this law, providing an intuitive
understanding of some of the fundamental principles of physics. Moreover, other demonstrations did not provide
a control group. However, in this experiment, a control group was provided through a PVC pipe in which students
can visualize the delay of magnet in comparison to the copper pipe. This also highlights utilizing low-cost reusable
and recyclable materials.

The limitation of this study is the capability to present a theoretical approach for calculating this delay due to
the numerous variables and parameters involved. These factors include the precise magnetic field strength of the
magnet and the exact current induced in the copper pipe. Also, to complete the data of the experiment, gauss meter
and oscilloscope materials are needed which is also a limitation. Despite this, a potential process for determining
the terminal velocity is still outlined, which ultimately allows for predicting the time delay.
2 Methodology
The materials utilized in this study were copper and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, 2 neodymium magnets
weighing 11.8 grams each, and stopwatch. Initially, the copper and PVC pipes were vertically arranged,
connecting them with another PVC pipe to ensure they were of equal height, thus forming an ‘H’ shape. The PVC
pipe served as the control group shown in Figure 2.a with its outer and inner diameter size, while the copper pipe
was the primary experimental setup shown in Figure 2.b is its size in outer and inner diameter. The variables in
this setup are the time of descent, and the copper and PVC pipes sizes. Subsequently, the magnet was
simultaneously dropped into the PVC pipe and Copper pipe. The time interval of the magnet’s descent was
measured using a stopwatch. Observations were made and recorded regarding changes in the magnet’s speed
during its descent. The experiment was repeated multiple times to ensure accuracy and consistency.

12 cm
85 cm 20 mm 18 mm 18 mm
17 mm

(a) (b) (c)

77.5 cm

Figure 2: (a) Experimental setup dimension, (b) PVC outer and inner diameter, and (c) Copper pipe outer and inner diameter
Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas
42nd Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Conference
Batangas State University, Batangas City, 3–6 July 2024
2
 When illustrating the phenomenon of a magnet dropped into a copper pipe, there's a standard procedure.
Initially, it involves determining the magnetic force of the magnet using the magnetic dipole approximation in
cylindrical coordinates.
𝜇0 𝑚 3𝑧𝑝
𝐵𝑝 = 4𝜋 (𝑝2 5 (3)
+ 𝑧 2 )2

In the equation 3, m is the magnetization of the material. Next is to calculate the emf (ε) induced to copper pipe
by Faraday’s Law.
𝑑𝛷𝐵
𝜀=− (4)
𝑑𝑡
where . This is followed by calculating the force due to pipe induction.

𝑚𝑎𝑔
𝐹𝑧 = − ∫〖𝐼(𝑑〗𝑙⃗ × 𝐵
⃗⃗) = ∫ 𝐼𝐵𝑝 . 𝑑𝑙⃗ (5)

𝑉
where 𝐼 = by Ohm’s Law. Then, set the equation of motion.
𝑅
𝑑𝑣
𝑚 ( 𝑑𝑡 ) = 𝑚𝑔 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑔 − 𝑘𝑣 (6)

where and k is the damping constant. Hence, the solution of this differential equation is
𝑡
𝑑𝑧
𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑣𝜏 (1 − 𝑒 −𝜏 ) (7)

𝑚
where 𝜏 = 𝑘 . Overall, the is the terminal velocity of the magnet.

3 Results and Discussion

During the experiments, display the output from the setup used to measure the time delay. It was observed that
there were notable differences in parameters, such as the time it took for a magnet to descend through a copper
pipe compared to a PVC pipe, as well as differences related to the sizes of the pipes. These differences were
analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. When the magnet was dropped through the PVC pipe, no delay occurred.
However, when the magnet was dropped through the copper pipe, a resistive force was noticed, which slowed the
magnet’s descent.

Table 1: Average time of falling magnets in PVC and copper pipes

Trial PVC pipe Copper pipe

1 0.49 sec 1.45 sec
2 0.50 sec 1.52 sec
3 0.48 sec 1.46 sec
4 0.48 sec 1.60 sec
5 0.46 sec 1.62 sec
6 0.47 sec 1.52 sec
7 0.47 sec 1.62 sec
8 0.52 sec 1.60 sec
9 0.53 sec 1.60 sec
10 0.49 sec 1.46 sec
Average 0.489 sec 1.545 sec

Based on the data of Table 1, the calculated average delay of the magnet dropping through the copper tube
compared to the PVC tube is 1.056 seconds. This was achieved by subtracting the magnet's descent time in a PVC
pipe from its descent time in the copper pipe. With the use of Anova two-factor with replication, using an alpha
value 5.0x10-4, it shows 95% of the results tells that there is a significant difference between the time interval of
the magnet’s drop in the two pipes and varying sizes, rejecting the null hypothesis.

Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas

42nd Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Conference
Batangas State University, Batangas City, 3–6 July 2024
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 As per Lenz’s law, the induced current generates a magnetic field that opposes the magnet’s motion, thereby
exerting a force in the opposite direction. Consequently, the Eddy currents induced in the pipe by the falling
magnet establish a field that resists the magnet’s motion. This is also shown in the study of Palesco et. al. [7],
referring that resistance quickly brings the magnet to its terminal velocity, and the fall through the pipe takes
longer than it would for an identical nonmagnetic object dropped. In the analysis of the delay, it was attributed to
the drag force arising when the temporary magnetic field of the induced copper pipe opposes the magnet’s
magnetic field.
Consequently, the magnet experiences no acceleration; instead, its velocity reaches a terminal value [8].
Although there are errors in the experiment, such as manual stopwatch operation, some uneven surfaces inside the
copper tube, and air resistance, improvements are possible. Using detectors to automate timing and a specialized
copper tube with a uniform radius and smoother inner surface would enhance accuracy. Further experiments could
explore varying magnetic strengths, different diamagnetic metals like aluminum, and the effects of tube thickness
and temperature. Colder and thicker diamagnetic tubes significantly slow the falling rate of the magnet.

4 Conclusions
The experiment involving the descent of a magnet through a copper pipe served as a compelling demonstration of
Lenz’s Law. It effectively illustrated the principle of electromagnetic induction and its inherent opposition to
changes in the magnetic field. This was clearly evidenced by the noticeable deceleration of the magnet’s fall, a
phenomenon directly attributable to the Eddy currents induced within the copper pipe. This experiment not only
validates Lenz’s Law but also underscores the implications of electromagnetic induction. The apparatus can be
replicated at a low cost. It is light-weight and easily transportable. It does not require electricity to generate. As
such, it is a viable apparatus that can be used to teach physics in communities with limited accessibility.

Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge Mindanao Engineering Center (MinEC) Engineering Integrated Laboratory for
providing us the copper pipe.

References
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[2] What is Lenz’s Law? - Definition, Formula, Applications, Experiments. (2022, August 29). BYJUS.
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[8] Lee, C. H., & Park, B. (2023). A magnet falling inside a conducting pipe: Dependence of the drag force on
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Proceedings of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas

42nd Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Physics Conference
Batangas State University, Batangas City, 3–6 July 2024
4