Ferrofluid Penny Push Experiment

This activity demonstrates how a ferrofluid acts under the presence of a magnetic field. A penny is lifted to the top of a ferrofluid liquid when a magnetic field is introduced because of a change in the properties of the fluid. Students will be able to explore the differences between ferrofluids and a normal fluid.

Full Instructions

Materials

• EMG-905, a mineral oil-based ferrofluid with a saturation magnetization of 400 gauss obtained from Ferrofluidics Corporation.
• Strong magnet (cow magnet, bar magnet, or rare earth magnet).
• Petri dish
• Penny or other small coin

Ferrofluid Pages