So I was standing in the kitchen throwing magnets at my fridge this morning (yep, still unemployed), and I found that

 

1) When I through the magnet rotating along the axis of motion in the counter-clockwise direction, it accelerated left as it neared the fridge

 

and

 

2) When rotating clockwise it accelerated right.

 

Is this caused by a change in flux, or some other force?

 

I ask because the change in direction is rather dramatic for a magnet the size and shape of a business card flying at a fridge.

 

The magnet weighs 1g BTW. Ain't heavy.

Basically, what you said, yeah.

it also has to do with magnetic atraction and the inverse square law that aplies to the flux density over distance.

it will also exhibit a phenomenon known as magneting damping.

In effect (and it works on non ferrous metals too). the magnets movement generates a current in the metal, which inturn creates a magnetic feild of opposition. there`s a neat experiment to demonstrate this effect, a powerfol cylindrical magnet is rolled downhill on a peice of wood and timed, then the same again using a sheet of metal (even Aluminium) it`ll roll fast at 1`st and then apear to slow down as if in honey or some invisible sticky stuff, and certainly take alot longer to reach the bottom!

The types of magnets used for mounting things on refrigerators are pretty weak and the field doesn't extend very far.

 

Chances are any deflection you are seeing is an effect of the airflow.