Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

DIY Floating Discs

Make your own floating discs and amaze your friends and family with your scientific acumen by utilizing the repelling properties of magnets. Magnets are polar, meaning that one side of the magnet has a positive charge, while the other side has a negative charge. Opposite charges will attract each other, causing the magnets to stick to each other. Conversely, like charges will repel each other, pushing the magnets apart. Attaching magnets to a disc and a base allows you to "float" the disc as the magnets repel each other.

Things You'll Need

2 compact discs
20 to 40 small magnets
Compact disc spindle base
Glue
Scissors
Paper
Markers

Instructions

- 1
  Place a CD face down and apply a line of glue around its outer edge. Place small magnets in the glue around the edge of the CD. The polarity of the magnets should be the same, with either all positive sides pointing up, or all negative sides pointing up. It doesn't matter which side is up, as long as they're all placed in the same direction. If the magnets aren't marked, check the polarity by holding them against each other. If they snap together, you have opposite polarities facing each other. If they repel, you have similar polarities facing each other. Glue them so that the repelling sides are facing up on both discs.
- 2
  Repeat Step 1 with the second CD, with all magnets in the same direction as the first CD. If the positive sides of the magnets are facing up on the first CD, the positive sides of the magnets need to face up on the second CD. Let the glue dry.
- 3
  Cut the stem of a CD spindle base to about 2 inches high. Place a magnetized CD on the spindle magnet side up. Place the second CD on the spindle magnet side down. The second CD will "float" at the top of the spindle.
- 4
  Trace a CD on a piece of paper. Cut the paper along the circle. Cut a hole in the center of the paper as well. Color the paper with whatever designs you wish. For example, a pinwheel pattern would look interesting while spinning. Glue the paper to the top of the floating CD to make your disc more aesthetically pleasing.

Science