How to calculate the force between two Permanent Magnet?

Question

1. there are two permanent magnets which are NOT identical and are located close to each other.

How to calculate the force between them?

2. there are a permanent magnet and a steel nail located close to each other.

How to calculate the force applied on the nail by the magnet?

Is there any formula or equation to calculate the force?

Thanks

Answer 1

Jessica - I'd like to see your answer. Your link leads to a dating site.

The only way I know how to do it is with finite element analysis software. I don't know of any quick and dirty method for such a complex problem. We do this sort of computation frequently where I work, but we're using a program that costs tens of thousands of dollars and I doubt you're going to find a student version.

Good luck.

And Jessica, I'd be intersted in reading your explanation