Why arent we looking more at magnetic power sources?

Question

we all know that if you put two magnets together they stick, but if you turn one around they wont. Why cant we use powerful magnets to make turbines turn and create power that is very safe, cheap clean and endless.

Ok to add a little more. Some of you guys are saying we already do use magnets, but we need Nuclear, fossil fuels or Water that creates a magnetic force to turn these turbines that create power. In Japan they have a train that runs along a magnetic track, which pushes the train forward/slow down and stop why cant we use that power to push a turbine round without fossil fuels etc. I have the picture in my head how it would work, but obviously cannot put it on here.

Answer 1

How do you propose we harness that energy? To make an electromagnate takes energy, so you wouldnt gain anything, but to use a normal magnate i can't think of a way to do it.
Im not being mean or anything, because if it would work, it would be great, but i dont see how you would make something turn...

Answer 2

Two magnets pushing against each other do not make power. If you have two magnets pushed together with the north poles facing each other so that they resist being pushed together as you describe, they are not making energy. You are using energy to push them together. When you let go of them and they fly apart, the energy you used to make them get closer than they wanted to be is then used to push them apart again. It is no different that just compressing a spring and then letting it go. The spring is not generating energy, it is just storing energy for later release. The energy itself has to be generated somewhere else, buy your muscles or by some kind of engine that burns fuel.

So, how do you make a turbine turn with magnets? You set it up with a magnet on a shaft and another one sitting nearby. The shaft may shift position slightly when you set it up, but when the magnets have pushed each other apart, the thing will stop. If you want the shaft to more more, you have to move the other magnet, and that means using outside energy, like the muscles of your hand for example. Try it yourself. Get some magnets at Radio Shack. Make a small shaft with some magnets attached to it and some more attached to a frame around it. There is no arrangement of magnets that will make the shaft keep turning. It just won't cause any continuing motion at all.

Answer 3

BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE DO.

ALL ELECTRICITY IS GENERATED USING MAGNETS!

All generators (turbines) work on the principle of electromagnetic induction!!

The turbines them selves are magnets and generate a magnetic field. When a conductor is in the presence of a CHANGING (by rotating turbines) magnetic field a current is induced in the conductor.

Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction!!!


TO answer your question in a mannor ignorant to the above fact like everyone else:
The problem with using magnets to do work is that they arnt strong enough!
The only way to have a really strong magnet is to use an elctromagnet(requiring electricity) or a superconducting magnet (requiring alot of elctricity and liquid He) It just wouldnt be worth it.

Answer 4

Isn't that perpetual motion? I don't know if the same (non-electromagnet) can endlessly have energy taken from it without it wearing down.

And how would the energy be put into it in the first place? Real permanent magnets are charged by electromagnets, and that energy comes from electricity.

Otherwise, you'd have to find huge lodestones that are already magnetized by the earth.

Answer 5

to much money to be had in fossil fuels

even the left who supposedly care so much for the environment . . . arent proposing alternate ideas their just flying around in private jets getting paid to give speeches about how the oil companies are making money

Answer 6

To a certain extent yeah