Have you ever wondered about magnetic levitation?

In this activity, students research magnetic levitation and then design, build, and test models of magnetic levitation trains. They learn about magnetism, permanent magnets, electromagnets, magnetic fields, and discover how the property of magnetism can be used to propel vehicles along a track very quickly with little or no friction. Students also explore different types of magnetic levitation. After researching designs of model maglev trains on the Internet, students choose one type for the design of their model mag lev trains, and then design, build, and test their model trains. Finally, students reflect on the results of their maglev tests and calculate efficiency.