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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: pipes on January 30, 2009, 08:45:43 PM

Title: electric power......on/off the road
Post by: pipes on January 30, 2009, 08:45:43 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGJgHRwO-8

LOOKS Doable to me.....Ken

  PS. After the clip ends,  wait a few seconds for more clips to show up!
Title: Re: electric power......on/off the road
Post by: Jeremy on January 31, 2009, 01:50:40 AM
People have been trying to invent magnetic motors ever since magnetism was discovered (magnetic motors being motors that turn and produce power solely from the magnetic attraction and repulsion of fixed magnets - no electricity or electromagnets involved). Dozens if not hundreds of inventors have claimed to have built working devices, but surprisingly enough none have ever gone into production or otherwise been proved to be viable. Must be the another oil company conspiracy I guess.

Jeremy
Title: Re: electric power......on/off the road
Post by: Sean on January 31, 2009, 07:20:49 AM
That video is, I think, 15 years old.  The device described has already been debunked.  But for the unbelievers:

1.  Common sense answer:  If this guy invented a working device nearly 20 years ago, don't you think we'd all be driving around in them now?

2.  Scientific answer:  You can't get something for nothing, ever.  This is an immutable physical law known as the First Law of Thermodynamics, often called the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Internal combustion engines are highly inefficient.  Electric systems are also inefficient, though somewhat less so.  Eventually, advancing technology will remove more and more of the inefficiency in the drive systems.  Advancing technology may also remove more of the inherent losses in vehicle movement, such as wind resistance (more aerodynamic vehicles) and rolling resistance (more efficient tires, better bearings, etc.).  It is even theoretically possible to recapture 100% of the energy needed for acceleration during braking -- this is known as regenerative braking.

But there will always be energy required to overcome the inherent losses in the environment -- air resistance and road resistance.  You can't do that without adding energy to the system, either chemical energy (such as fossil fuels), electrical energy (charging a battery), mechanical energy (winding a spring), or potential energy (start at the top of a hill).

FWIW.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com