When we talk about magnetic levitation what we are referring to is an object suspended by magnetic pressure which counteracts the effects of gravity. It generates images of large futuristic objects hovering and travelling at high speeds.
However, magnetic levitation is more science-fact than science-fiction as magnetic levitation is now used in super-high-speed trains and magnetic bearings as well as for cool desktop displays that can amaze your friends and family!
From a young age, we are all taught that the opposite poles of a magnet attract and the identical poles of a magnet repel. So, surely you could just use two large, strong magnets set to repel and one will levitate above the other.
Unfortunately, magnetic levitation is not quite so simple. This is because strong magnets don’t like being in repulsion with one another, they will do everything possible to flip over so their opposite poles are attractive and snap together. If your fingers are in between, it can be a very painful and messy experience!
If you do have two large magnets and you can keep them from flipping over, by putting a non-magnetic pole through the middle of them for example, you can demonstrate how magnetic repulsion works, like in this video – super-strong magnets levitating a man.
An alternative and more spectacular method to achieve levitation is by using strong permanent magnets and diamagnetic material.
Most common materials are diamagnetic including, water, wood, copper, silver, gold, plastic, DNA the list goes on. Diamagnetic materials repel and are repelled by strong, external magnetic fields like those produced by neodymium magnets or electromagnets. They do this because the orbit of the electrons that surround their atoms change to create a weak magnetic field in repulsion to the magnetic field that is applied to it.