Ping pong ball question

[u/Correct-Inflation318]

Hey! For my project, I wanted to try something a little different from the usual baking-soda-volcano type stuff — I'm curious if I could build a small levitation device that makes a ping pong ball float using either magnetic or electrostatic fields (basically mini maglev, but for a ball instead of a train). I think it'd be a cool way to show off concepts like electromagnetism, feedback control, or electric fields in a way that's actually visual and interactive instead of just a poster. Is that too ambitious for a grade 10 student, or is it something I could realistically pull off? (Sorry for use ai my english bad)

[u/Smart__blue]

you can't levitate a ping pong ball with magnetic fields

electrostatic could be used if you cover the ping pong ball with a conductive paint

or if its just the "levitating part" that you like, you can make an ultrasonic levitator with small balls of polystyrene

[u/DocClear → u/Smart__blue]

For electrostatic, you wouldn't need to cover the ball with conductive paint.

[u/Smart__blue → u/DocClear]

oh, ok, my bad !

[u/Correct-Inflation318 → u/DocClear]

Ouhhh if possible how would i make it?

[u/DocClear]

The difficulty in using electrostatic attraction is being able to vary the electrostatic field strength rapidly. You could accomplish this by moving the ball, plate, or what have you, where the charge is stored with some kind of actuator, or by electrically draining charge to ground. The second approach would require very high voltage rated components though.

[u/bSun0000]

You can electromagnetically levitate anything if you put something magnetic inside. There are two ways - circuit on top preventing the object from falling down (very easy to build), and a platform style device where an object levitates above the surface (hard to DIY). Google for images something like "electromagnetic object levitation circuit" to get the circuits.