At 07:26 PM 9/23/99 -0600, you wrote:

>"attractor."  This obviously requires a not-insignificant amount of energy.
>it seems obvious that the energy must be coming from the magnets.  I know it
>took energy to make the magnets in the first place, but it is still hard for
>me to believe that you could "run down" the magnets by this process any time
>soon.
>

The only energy that is added to a magnet during the magnetization process
is used to reduce its entropoy (make it less random).

Magnetization simply means the domains of iron molecules (or whatever is
used) are aligned in the crystal lattice to make a net Magnetic field.

The energy in your example comes from the potential energy imparted in
pulling the magnets apart.  Its analogous to driving down a hill : You can
coast all the way down a hill in what would seem energy free motion.
Really you are just trading potential for kinetic.

This is why all of these perpetual motion machines don't work.  Ep + Ek =
K.     TANSTAAFL.
It would be possible to have perpetual motion with 0 friction and 0
radiated energy.  While you can make these two effects very small, they are
never 0.  Plus, you never get anything out.

-Erik Reikes