COLLEGE OF SAN BENILDO-RIZAL

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City
Academic Year 2015 - 2016

Magnetic Weighing Scale

Presented by:
Montenegro, Jan Ivan, T.
Olila, Arthur Noah, P.
Orrica, Joshua, B.
Pepito, Joshua, E.
Pineda, Anton Christ, A.
Section 10B

Presented to:
Mr. EDWIN C. BARBA, JR.
Science 10 Teacher

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Statement of the Problem

Objectives of the Study

Significance of the Study

Scope and Limitations

Chapter II: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

2
3

Review of Related Literature

Conceptual Model of the Study

Definition of Terms

Chapter III: METHODOLOGY

Procedures in Making the Project

Procedures in Evaluating the Project
Chapter IV: RESULTS AND FINDINGS

8
8
9

Discussion Results and Findings

Chapter V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND

10
11

RECOMMENDATIONS

11

Summary of the Study

11

Conclusions

11

Recommendations

12

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chapter I
Introduction
Background of the Study
A magnet is an object or material that gives off its own magnetic field. It has
two poles, north and south. It attracts opposite poles and repels like poles. It creates
a force that pulls magnetic materials and the same with other magnets.
Magnets have been a part of our modern society. The appliances that we
used in our home have magnets that makes up the electric motor inside such as
hair dryer, electric fan, exhaust fan, dishwasher, clothes washer, humidifier, aircondition, heater, refrigerator and many more. With the help of magnets came the
MRI or the magnetic resonance imaging. Giving more detailed scans of the human
body than an x-ray. Magnetic levitation or shortened as Maglev is already being
introduced in transportation. With the invention of the maglev train, going to and
from a place has never been any faster. Before, factories may have been run with
steam, compressed air or with big belts that drew power from rotating shafts near
the ceiling. It was dangerous and noisy. Now, with the invention of magnets, these
has led to numerous breakthroughs in technology. Thus, making our lives easier and
more comfortable.
In this project the researchers will try to make a magnetic weighing scale to
observe its effects and learn the basic concepts of magnetic levitation.

Statement of the Problem

The general aim of this project is to build a magnetic weighing scale.
Specifically the researchers will try to answer the following:
1. How accurate will the weighing scale be compared to commercially bought
scales?
2. How will the magnets interact with each other if it was tested for weighing?
3. What is the scales maximum weight that it can take?

Objectives of the study

1

The objective of this study is to create a weighing scale using six magnet
rings around a dowel. The main reason for this study is to be able to understand the
concept of magnetic levitation.

Significance of the Study

This investigatory project aims to the people who wishes to learn more about
physics. Especially those who studies magnetism. They can benefit from this
because they can properly see how the magnetic levitation and its necessary parts
work.

Scope and Limitation

This study only focuses on designing and making a magnetic weighing scale.
The investigatory project is also limited to the field of magnetism which deals with
the physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge, resulting in
attractive and repulsive forces between objects. The materials of this project,
excluding the magnets, are only limited the ones that can find in ones home.

Chapter II
FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

I. Review of Related Literature

A magnet is a material that can exert a noticeable force on other materials
without actually contacting them. This force is known as a magnetic force and may
either attract or repel. While all known materials exert some sort of magnetic force,
it is so small in most materials that it is not readily noticeable. With other materials,
the magnetic force is much larger, and these are referred to as magnets. The Earth
itself is a huge magnet.
Some magnets, known as permanent magnets, exert a force on objects
without any outside influence. The iron ore magnetite, also known as lodestone, is a
natural permanent magnet. Other permanent magnets can be made by subjecting
certain materials to a magnetic force. When the force is removed, these materials
retain their own magnetic properties. Although the magnetic properties may change
over time or at elevated temperatures, these materials are generally considered to
be permanently magnetized, hence the name.
Other magnets are known as electromagnets. They are made by surrounding
certain materials with a coil of wire. When an electric current is passed through the
coil, these materials exert a magnetic force. When the current is shut off, the
magnetic force of these materials drops to nearly zero. Electromagnet materials
retain little, if any, magnetic properties without a flow of electric current in the coil.

All magnets have two points where the magnetic force is greatest. These two
points are known as the poles. For a rectangular or cylindrical bar magnet, these
poles would be at opposite ends. One pole is called the north-seeking pole, or north
3

pole, and the other pole is called the south-seeking, or south pole. This terminology
reflects one of the earliest uses of magnetic materials such as lodestone. When
suspended from a string, the north pole of these first crude compasses would
always "seek" or point towards the north. This aided sailors in judging the direction
to steer to reach distant lands and return home.

In our present technology, magnet applications include compasses, electric

motors, microwave ovens, coin-operated vending machines, light meters for
photography, automobile horns, televisions, loudspeakers, and tape recorders. A
simple refrigerator note holder and a complex medical magnetic resonance imaging
device both utilize magnets.
The most popular account for the discovery of magnets is a legend of a
shepherd named Magnes who lived in Magnesia near Mount Ida in Greece Mount Ida
was referred to as the "Mountain of the Goddess". Approximately 2,600 years ago
(600 BC) while herding sheep on the mountain, Magnes found that the nails and
buckle of his sandals and the tip of his staff were attracted to the rock he was
standing on. He dug up the Earth to find lodestones. Lodestones contain magnetite,
a natural magnetic material Fe3O4. The word magnet is derived from the Greek
name magnetis lithos, the stone of Magnesia, referring to the region on the Aegean
coast in present-day Turkey where these magnetic stones were found.
In 1600, English scientist William Gilbert confirmed earlier observations
regarding magnetic poles and concluded that the Earth was a magnet. In 1820, the
Dutch scientist Hans Christian Oersted discovered the relationship between
electricity and magnetism, and French physicist Andre Ampere further expanded
upon this discovery in 1821.

In the early 1900s, scientists began studying magnetic materials other than
those based on iron and steel. By the 1930s, researchers had produced the first
powerful Alnico alloy permanent magnets.
In 1966 the first rare earth magnets were developed from Samarium-Cobalt
(SmCo5) producing a high energy product of 18 MGOe. In 1972 further
4

developments were made using Samarium-Cobalt (Sm2Co17) to produce a higher

energy magnet product of 30 MGOe.
In 1983 General Motors, Sumitomo Special Metals and the Chinese Academy
of Sciences developed a high energy product of 35 MGOe from a compound of
Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd2Fe14B) referred to as neo magnets or rare earth
magnets. The enormous interest these magnets have generated arises because, for
the first time, a new magnetic material has been introduced which is not only
stronger than the previous generation but is more efficient. Neo magnets are the
strongest type of permanent magnet in the world.
Today magnets play a role almost every technologically advanced device we
use, including computers, automobiles, industrial sorter and seperators, power
generators, speakers, cell phones etc.
Magnetic fields are actively excluded from superconductors (Meissner effect).
If a small magnet is brought near a superconductor, it will be repelled becaused
induced supercurrents will produce mirror images of each pole. If a small permanent
magnet is placed above a superconductor, it can be levitated by this repulsive force.
Levitation currents in the superconductor produce effective magnetic poles that
repel and support the magnet. The black ceramic material in the illustrations is a
sample of the yttrium based superconductor.
Magnetic levitation, specifically, the use of magnetic forces to combat gravity
and friction, has recently advanced in a wide variety of technology areas.
The worlds first commercial maglev train was constructed in China to link the
Shanghai aiport to the city center, and, since 2003, millions of passengers have
already experienced the excitement of travelling at speeds up to 250 miles per
hour. A less visible but much wider application of magnetic levitation is in magnetic
bearings. Here the maglev applications have greatly increased in recent years and
include their use in artificial hearts, energy storage, wind turbines, integrated-circuit
manufacture, and ultracentrifuges to enrich uranium.
The magnetic levitation train (maglev train) was developed for high-speed
public transportation. A maglev train can be made up of up to ten sections and
carry up to 1,172 passengers. Moving without wheels and rails, it uses non-contact
5

electromagnetic levitation, guidance, and propulsion systems, i.e. wear-free

electronics instead of mechanical components. Using no wheels, axles,
transmissions, or pantographs, the high speed maglev system thus hovers rather
than rolls like usual trains do. Functioning without all these parts required for
operation of regular trains, it hence shows less component abrasion than these. The
following section will present the different components of the Maglev train system
and concisely explain their function.
Electronically controlled support magnets located on both sides along the
entire length of the vehicle pull the vehicle up to the ferromagnetic stator packs
attached to the bottom of the guideway. As mentioned, guidance magnets located
on both sides along the entire length of the vehicle keep the vehicle on the track.
The levitation system is supplied from on-board batteries and which makes it
independent of the propulsion system. The vehicle is capable of hovering up to one
hour without external energy. While travelling, the on-board batteries are recharged
by generators integrated into the support magnets. Interestingly, the train requires
less power to hover than to run its air conditioning equipment.

Conceptual Model

Definition of Terms

Magnet - a piece of iron (or an ore, alloy, or other material) that has its
component atoms so ordered that the material exhibits properties of
magnetism, such as attracting other iron-containing objects or aligning itself

in an external magnetic field.

Magnetic Levitation - a method by which an object is suspended with no

support other than magnetic fields.

Magnetic Field surrounds magnetic materials and electric currents and
are detected by the force they exert on other magnetic materials and moving

electric charges.
Permanent Magnet - a magnet that retains its magnetic properties in the

absence of an inducing field or current.

Weighing scale - devices to measure weight or calculate mass.
Force - strength or energy as an attribute of physical action or movement.
Repel - drive or force (an attack or attacker) back or away.

Chapter III
METHODOLOGY
Materials
6 ceramic ring magnets
Wood
Wooden dowel
Thin straight piece of plastic
Hammer and Nails
Super glue
Scissors

Procedure
1. First, mount the wooden dowel vertically on the center of the wood
base using a hammer and a nail.
2. Lay out the 6 ceramic rings to their same poles (1 st magnet S N, 2nd
magnet N S and so on). Mark each of the magnets to know where the
north and south poles are. This is to ensure that the insertion of the
magnets are quick and safe.
3. Place the first magnet over the wooden dowel and slide it all down.
Take the 2nd magnet down the same way. The 2nd magnet should float
above the 1st magnet due to their poles repelling each other. Do this
same step for the rest of the magnets.
4. For the pointer, use a thin piece of plastic and glue on any of the top
half magnets. Other straight objects can be used as an alternative. Use
super glue to stick the preferred object to the magnet.
Testing the Product
1. Weighing different items on the scale to create measurements for
the pointer.
2. Comparing its accuracy to a standard weighing scale.
3. To find the scales maximum weight. The researchers hold down all
the magnets so that there are no gaps in between the magnets.
This means the scale is at its maximum capacity to hold weight.

Chapter IV
RESULTS AND FINDINGS

Discussion of Results and Observations

The researchers evaluated the product, the magnetic weighing scale in terms
of its accuracy, its interactions between the magnet and its maximum weight
capability. The following are the observations and results of the tests.

A. Comparing the magnetic scales accuracy compared to a standard

scale
The researchers have found out that 1 kilogram is equivalent to 18 cm on the
weighing scale, by having a control test of weighing 1 kilogram on the scale and
measuring the length between the pointer. Using this information, the researchers
have created a table to show the various items weighed and its weight to compare
the results from the magnetic weighing scale to a standard weighing scale.
Item (Weighed using a

Magnetic Weighing Scale

standard weighing scale

1kg of rice
500g of Canned corned

(in cm)
18 centimeters
9 centimeters

beef
2 Spray cans (combined

26 centimeters

weight) 1.5kg

B. Interactions of the magnet if it was used for weighing

Distance of the magnets (Not yet weighed)
Starting at the bottom magnet
6th to 5th magnet
5th to 4th magnet
4th to 3rd magnet
3rd to 2nd magnet
2nd to 1st magnet

Distance (in cm)

10 cm
13 cm
15 cm
23 cm
30 cm

Distance of the magnets (Weighed under 500g)

Starting at the bottom magnet

6th to 5th magnet
5th to 4th magnet
4th to 3rd magnet
3rd to 2nd magnet
2nd to 1st magnet

Distance (in cm)

5 cm
8 cm
10 cm
15 cm
18 cm

The tables above shows that the gap, or the distance, of each magnet
decreases. This is due to the weight of the item pushing down on the magnets,
fighting against the strong magnetic repel and pushing the magnets down.

C. The scales maximum weight

By holding down all the magnet rings, to the point where there are no gaps in
between the magnets, the researchers were able to find out its maximum weight
that it can take. The researchers found out that its length between length S, the
starting point (0cm), and length X, its maximum weight, reached up to 42
centimeters on the scale. With the past results of 18 cm = 1kg, the researchers
computed that its maximum weight is 2.33 kilograms. The reason for its small
capacity is because of its size. The researchers found out that having stronger
magnets would result in a more maximum weight efficiency because it can create a
more stronger repel.
Discussion of results
The researchers tested their magnetic weighing scale to compare its
accuracy against scales found in the market. Observed the magnets interactions
when using the scale and looking for its maximum weight. From the given results
above, the researchers can say that it is fairly accurate, only missing by a
centimeter sometimes. Based on the data from Data B above, the distance between
the magnets from the top to bottom becomes smaller and smaller due to the weight
of the magnets pushing down. Lastly, the researchers have found out the scales
maximum weight, although it is largely smaller than the scales normally found in
the market.

Chapter V
CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION, BIBLIOGRAPHY

Summary
The researchers aims to find out on making a magnetic scale using magnetic
levitation.
Specifically, this study aims to answer the ff:
10

1. How accurate will the weighing scale be compared to commercially bought

scales?
2. How will the magnets interact with each other if it was tested for weighing?
3. What is the scales maximum weight that it can take?
After making the magnetic weighing scale, evaluating it in terms of its
accuracy, its interactions between the magnet and its maximum weight capability,
the researchers found following.
1. The magnets go down when used.
2. The 1st magnet always springs up abnormally when no more weight is applied
to the scale.
3. Items that are too light cannot be weighed on the scale perfectly as this does
not have enough weight to push the magnets down.

Conclusion
Based on the results of the experiments and observations, the researchers
come to the following conclusions
1. The scale is accurate enough to weigh in small items similarly to normal
weiging scales
2. The gap between each magnets decreases if the scale was used.
3. The maximum weight it can take is 2.33 kilos.
Recommendation
1. Always set the pointer to zero to achieve accurate results from the scale.
2. Wrap around rubber bands on top of the 1st magnet to prevent the magnet
from springing too much and cause inaccuracies to the scale.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

11

A. Articles, Books and Journals

Campbell, P. (1994). Permanent Magnet Materials and Their Design. Cambridge

University Press.
Duplessis, J. (1993). An Attractive Proposition. In Machine Design (p. 46).
George B, H. C. (1986). Materials HandBook. McGraw-Hill.
Greg Boebinger, A. P. (n.d.). Building World Record Magnets. Scientific.
Weaver, N. B. (1990). Electronic Materials. Butterworths.

B. Webliography

Fecht, S. (2012, March 21). Ways MagLev could shape the Future. Retrieved from
Popular Mechanics: http://www.popularmechanics.com/
Magnetic Magnets. (n.d.). A Brief History of Magnets. Retrieved from Magnetic
Magnets: http://www.magnetic-magnets.co.nz/
Nave, C. R. (2001). Magnetic Levitation. Retrieved from Hyper Physics:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hph.html

12