Magnets in Water

Underwater, will a magnet around a plastic tube move a metal cylinder inside the tube? If so how strong is the bond and how is this affected by the gap between the magnet and the cylinder?
- victor hunter
uk

Yes, there will be a force so long as you use a magnetic metal, such as iron or most steels. The water and the tube have virtually no effect on the force. The force gets weaker if the gap is larger. We can't tell you the strength of the force without much more information. You can just measure it without the water first, if that's easier.

Mike W.

(published on 05/10/2011)