Success Criteria Task

Topic: Magnetism

Task: Research the use of magnetic trains “Maglev”. Explain how they work. Make a
comparison of them to trains that run on diesel fuels. Evaluate the possibility of widespread
use of Maglev trains.

WWW (What EBI (Even

Success Criteria
Went Well) Better If)
Explains repulsion between two magnets.
Explains how maglev trains are lifted.
Describes how the maglev train is moved forwards.
Gives two advantages of maglev trains over diesel trains.
Gives two disadvantages of maglev trains over diesel trains.
Gives a strong judgement on whether maglev trains should be
used.

A magnet has a magnetic field around it and causes magnetic objects to be attracted or repelled.
repulsion between two magnets is caused when two ‘like poles’ are the same e.g., north will repel
when another magnet placed close is also north.

Maglev (derived from magnetic levitation) is a system of train transportation that uses two sets of
magnets: one set to repel and push the train up off the track, and another set to move the elevated
train ahead, taking advantage of the lack of friction.

The train has Electrodynamic suspension that the same two electromagnetic forces positioned at the
undercarriage of the maglev train and on the track, this creates a repulsion force because two-like
forces repel thus resulting in the levitation of the maglev train and the faster poles switch the faster
the train goes. In addition, electromagnetic forces are positioned on the side of the guideway, this
creates propulsion, the force in which the maglev train moves forward.

The advantages of maglev trains over diesel trains are that maglev trains are eco-friendly as they
don’t have internal combustion engines so won’t produce any greenhouse gases and could reduce
global warming if used on a large scale. Another advantage of the maglev trains is the fact that it
doesn’t have moving parts as conventional trains do, and therefore, the wear and tear of parts is
minimal, and that reduces the maintenance cost by a significant extent. However, the disadvantage
is that the guide paths the maglev train runs on is much more costly than steel railways which diesel
trains run on which could have been spent on education and developing hospitals. Also, there is
much less existing guide paths for the maglev trains while rail infrastructure for diesel train is much
more abundant.

To conclude with, I strongly agree that the maglev trains should be used due to the fact that the
maglev train is much faster than diesel trains making tourism more likely to visit due to the short
travel time which as a result increases the local GDP. Furthermore, the maglev trains provide a much
more efficient was to transport as it is more eco friendly than the diesel trains which if used on a
large scale can help reduce global warming.