Neodynium Magnets Fall SLOWLY Through Copper Pipe

YouTube link.

Note the magnets are not attracted to the copper.  The physics  of the process is explained briefly by thedevguy:
The movement of the magnet induces an electric current in the copper and with electric current comes a magnetic field, which attracts the magnet. The magnet doesn't stick to the wall as it falls because the induced current, and its corresponding magnetic field, are perfectly distributed so that the magnet feels magnetic force equally from all sides. The magnetic field slows the magnet, but can't stop its fall because if the magnet stopped moving, the induced electric field would go away and the magnet would start falling again.

Of note, while the magnet is falling slowly, the copper pipe will feel heavier in the hand because the pipe is "holding up" the magnet.  I wonder whether the same effect could be observed by dropping buckyballs through a smaller copper tube?

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I think Edward should have used the phrase "the greater the effect" rather than "the greater the apparent effect." Maybe "the more apparent the effect is". Edwards comment makes it sound as if the effect is an optical illusion and not really happening.

I went to Ace Hardware and asked the manager if he had a pipe and some magnets. He so hesitantly obliged he must have thought I was going to use it as a weapon : )

I don't know if the pipe was thick walled as called for. I said "thick walled" but it didn't look that thick to me. The magnets were ceramic not NIB so not as strong.

The effect was there but not nearly as "apparent" as the video depiction. Sadly the manager wasn't impressed and thought I was crazy. I guess he couldn't see it. He was pretty old : )
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It is also called magnetic damping and happens when any magnetic object moved past a conductor. The better the conductor, the greater the apparent effect.

Yes, the Bucky Balls in the Neatoshop should do this as well.
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