On 20 Nov 2006 at 13:38, Mike Hord wrote:

> > That's pretty cool.  The actual energy to keep it moving
> > comes from the magnet, right?
> 
> No, the energy comes from the bump the person gives it.

	Not so. Watch the video again. One time the motor is started at a 
high speed and shortly after it adjusts itself to a lower speed and 
maintains it. Another time it is started with a very gently push and 
accelerates.
 

> It's a cool, clever little way to keep an object spinning for
> a long time, no more.  The magnet passing the coil which
> curves to follow the arc induces a current in the coil, which
> charges the cap, which then discharges through the large
> coil at the bottom giving a little "umph" to the magnet.

	How does a twisted pair of wires opened at one end charge a 
capacitor? I have tried that and got nothing.

	Mark


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