Question

We have a cylindrical magnet with its magnetic poles aligned along the z axis. It is dropped into a copper cylindrical tube with a slightly larger radius and it is observed that it falls very slowly. Provide a careful explanation of the phenomenon justifying your response.

Answer 1

When the cylindrical magnet will pass through the copper cylinder, the magnetic field inside the cylinder will change. We know that when ever there is a change in magnetic field around a conductor it will produce an induced emf this emf will in return generate a magnetic field. The direction of this induced emf is such that the magnetic field produced by it will repel the motion of the cylinder i.e the fall of magnet.

This observation is based on the fact that whenever there is a change in magnetic field around the conductor it will produce a magnetic field so that it oppose the change in external field.