A maglev train is a train that levitates and it repels because of the magnets on the train and the tracks. When the same poles face each other they repel. When different poles face each other they attract. In order for a maglev train to work, the same poles have to face each other (north to north or south to south). My group’s idea was to make the track have five ring magnets down the center and two long strip magnets on the sides. On the train we have 8 disc magnets around the edge.
We failed because some magnets were facing north and south on the track but on the bottom of the train the magnets were facing south. So we failed because some attracted and some repelled. We agreed to each take turns testing our idea so now we will try the next idea.
Next time we will be careful to make them all face north with a bar magnet because the bar magnets are labeled. We will know if it is north or south. Now we will try the next idea. The next idea will be three long strip magnets on the track and three smaller strip magnets on the train. I hope it works.
This is our first design for our maglev train.