Halcyon Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Okay, so we're doing an experiment from BFSU 2, which basically involves hanging a bar magnet on a thread to demonstrate true north. The text says something like "when your bar magnet stops moving, you'll see that it points in the same direction as your compass." or something like that. Anyway, um..... it's been 40 minutes and the bar magnet HASNT STOPPED MOVING. It's moving in a jiggly fashion with N pointed north but it hasn't STOPPED. Creepy. What does this mean? And no, we haven't touched it and there isn't an earthquake happening :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 How far is the "wobble"? Is there metal anywhere nearby? We've had weird stuff happen when it turns out the magnet is near a stud in the wall, for example. I might try repeating the experiment in another location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Is your air conditioner blowing on it? :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 nope no air conditioner. No magnet, as far as I can tell. Moving it to another location right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msk Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 It's surprising the number of hidden things that have magnetic properties, hopefully moving it will work. I work with sensitive compasses fairly often and regular-looking rocks on the ground are always messing them up-- we usually have to take multiple readings in slightly different locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Okay we moved it to another location...still moving....hmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Maybe your house is possessed. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I knew a woman who couldn't use a compass. As soon as she picked one up the needle would start spinning and never stop. This was unfortunately as she was a Girl Guides leader. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I knew a woman who couldn't use a compass. As soon as she picked one up the needle would start spinning and never stop. This was unfortunately as she was a Girl Guides leader. :D I knew a woman who's daughter couldn't wear a watch because every time one touched her skin it stopped :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 nope no air conditioner. No magnet, as far as I can tell. Moving it to another location right now. Any electric devices? Alternating currents create magnetic fields. I suggest moving it outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I had the same problem, and I discovered that I had done 2 things wrong. 1. I had used thin yarn instead of thread. Both have a certain amount of torque, because they are made by spinning the material, but yarn has much more. The torque is stronger than the magnetism you are studying. Ideally, you should use fishing line, which has not torque at all, but BFSU says thread because most people don't have fishing line around the house. 2. Surely my biggest and most embarrassing mistake was that I was not even using a magnet! :blushing: I had bought a magnet kit, and I was using a plain iron bar, thinking that it was a magnet. :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I knew a woman who's daughter couldn't wear a watch because every time one touched her skin it stopped :blink: I have the same problem! Always have. I also get a lot of shocks. I always assumed the two were related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I knew a woman who's daughter couldn't wear a watch because every time one touched her skin it stopped :blink: That's exactly what I was going to say. My mom is that way. It usually will run for a day or two, and then it stops. Quality of the watch makes no difference. We joke that she has the same effect on computers, but it really can't be that much of a coincidence that anytime she uses a laptop it dies within a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 That's kinda cool. :D So says the woman who doesn't have a magnet turning slooowly side to side in her living room. ;) Oh, and it IS a magnet, and we did use fishing wire. So.....the mystery deepens. If it IS a magnetic source in our house, it kinda creeps me out that we're all living here with it. I mean, that can't be healthy, right?:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Darn, where is the enigmatic Dr. Scully when we need her? At times like this it is good to remember her words of wisdom, "Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only in contradiction to what we know of it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 Darn, where is the enigmatic Dr. Scully when we need her? At times like this it is good to remember her words of wisdom, "Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only in contradiction to what we know of it." :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenninMN Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 We had a spot in one of our homes where my clock radio would come on while I was carrying it from room to room. That was weird. I had the radio in one hand and the plug in the other, and it was playing. (This was before the days of battery back-ups...) It did it every time. I wondered if that could be unhealthy, too. Since it was halfway up the stairs, I decided not to worry about it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Can you put a little spy cam on and see what it does when nobody is watching it? My vote goes for that it is one of your people's magnetic fields disrupting it. Some people are just special like that. My little DD can make our DVD player and tv turn on sometimes when she is feeling emotional! I have similar issues with electronics and it will randomly turn off or on in my presence but DDs powers are stronger than mine. :tongue_smilie: It was really spooky when I was pregnant with her. Or, possibly your house isn't completely flat. Maybe you have a slight incline affecting it. Now I'm curious and want to try it with myself and DD in the room one time and with DH only another time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 :lurk5: Oh this thread is interesting! Subbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Our granite countertop has magnetic properties. It isn't strong enough to feel the pull with a kitchen magnet but we can't leave a compass on it because the needle spins strangely. It messes with our cell phones too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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