Dynamic Self Organization of Ferrofluid

[jjones517]

Greetings!

 

I am trying to replicate this experiment and having trouble getting the peaks to repel the center fluid.

 

 

I am using a neodymium 3/4" diameter neodymium magnet. Maybe my magnet is too strong? Or perhaps I am not using the correct thinner? I tried the experiment with both Gum Spirits Turpentine and also Vegetable Oil. I am simply adding droplets of the thinner to the petri dish, but maybe there is a different method at play.

 

This is very much an at-home kitchen experiment, so open to ideas if you've got any! Thanks!

 

 

[renedascientist]

i am not an expert in magnetohydrodynamics but it seems like either there is a very complex arrangement of super weak magnets underneath that ferrofluid( because simple magnetic field shapes change the ferrofluid shape in a different distinct, recognizable way http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrofluid#mediaviewer/File:Ferrofluid_Magnet_under_glass_edit.jpg) or it is a combination of a weak magnetic field and the surface tension of the fluid itself creating this effect. this would be an interesting thing to figure out on a computer simulation program.