Dropping a magnet through a hollow copper bar - GIF

[Mikell17]

Damm trying to remember what/why is happening here, I have seen this on other post.

If it wasn’t for this “technology” for lack of a better word, we wouldn’t have some of the great amusement rides we have, like the tower of terror and other rides that drop and also stop, like some roller coasters. It never breaks down and never wears out. I wonder why they haven’t figured out or even tried to find a way to use these in at least trucks or airplanes. Maybe they have and they’re too abrupt or something.

[Drew1966]

If it wasn’t for this “technology” for lack of a better word, we wouldn’t have some of the great amusement rides we have, like the tower of terror and other rides that drop and also stop, like some roller coasters. It never breaks down and never wears out. I wonder why they haven’t figured out or even tried to find a way to use these in at least trucks or airplanes. Maybe they have and they’re too abrupt or something.

The magnet will, slowly, lose its flux, or magnetic power.

[Mikell17]

The magnet will, slowly, lose its flux, or magnetic power.

In this maybe, but the rides use electricity, not just plain magnets. They will require replacement, but compared to brake shoes, it wouldn’t be anywhere near the same time. Besides, if they didn’t have this system there wouldn’t be a lot of the rides we have.

[tonyfoale]

I wonder why they haven’t figured out or even tried to find a way to use these in at least trucks or airplanes. Maybe they have and they’re too abrupt or something.

Eddy current brakes are common on trucks and buses, even large vans.

[mklotz]

Eddy current brakes are common on trucks and buses, even large vans.

I remember a sensitive analytic balance in college that had a tiny electrical eddy current brake that could be switched on to damp the oscillations prior to taking a reading.