A friend of yours is seeking investors to help him develop and market a product
ID: 1373518 • Letter: A
Question
A friend of yours is seeking investors to help him develop and market a product which will allow consumers to get free electricity to run small appliances. The device ( shown below) consists of a strong magnet ( neodymium ) attached to a coiled spring which can be fastened to some stationary surface (ceiling e.g.). When the magnet is pulled down it passes through a large multi loop coil which is connected across the appliance. The now stretched spring restores the magnet to its original position causing it to pass through the coil again. Gravity then pulls the magnet back down through the loop and the cycle continues for as long as you require the electricity. It is self perpetuating. Question: Should you invest in this promising innovation? If not, then (other than monetary concerns) why not? Does the device violate some accepted principle of physics ? If so which one and how does that principle prohibit the device from functioning as described above?Explanation / Answer
the innovation can not be used as electrical energy would be produced only for a short period of time till the spring mass system is oscllating.
yes the device violates the conservation of energy principle.
if there is electrical energy created in the loop that should be at the expence of the energy of the spring mass system, so the spring mass systems oscillaltions would eventually die of, due to the converion of its energy into electrical energy.