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(just a quick thought question for my journal) So if you took a magnet and somehow increased the density would there be a definite increase in the force of the pull or would there be a way for that force to increase without human help. The planets ,when close enough, begin to pull each other towards their center, which is usually the densest. But at a certain range the vacuum of space probably balances this out and keeps the planets in orbit. Feel free to correct my thoughts. (because google doesn't help that much)

Nathaniel Barnhill
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  • But at a certain range the vacuum of space probably balances this out and keeps the planets in orbit. No, this is not the correct way of thinking about your question. The vacuum of space means there is nothing to slow the planets down and cause them to lose their orbital velocity. The planets in our solar system are in orbit now because the gas and dust cloud that they are made from had angular momentum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_and_evolution_of_the_Solar_System –  Dec 14 '17 at 18:29
  • Thank you, please excuse my ignorance i'm getting answers from people that know what the are talking about rather than google. do you have any suggestions on how i should go about this question? Another viewpoint would help. – Nathaniel Barnhill Dec 14 '17 at 19:57
  • Nathaniel, I'm not sure where you are trying to go with this. Are you just thinking about celestial mechanics? (If so, you should be aware that the main force between planets is gravitational.) Or are you trying to come up with a new technology? – A. Newell Dec 15 '17 at 16:09
  • Uh, you could say new technology. I'm just stuck in this train of thought and i feel like i'm onto something but i'm just thinking about it the wrong way... – Nathaniel Barnhill Dec 15 '17 at 19:36

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It's a little impractical to squeeze a typical metal magnet and increase its density significantly, and if you did you would heat it up and it would stop being a magnet.

But we do see this effect in space. Stars have weak magnetic fields but when stars collapse into neutron stars their magnet fields get compressed and become incredibly strong.

Martin Beckett
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  • so a magnets could have a slight increase in their magnetic strengths long as the size is relevant to the density? – Nathaniel Barnhill Dec 14 '17 at 17:16
  • Yes, if you put a bunch of small magnets in a foam sphere and then squeezed the foam there would be the same amount of magnet but in a smaller volume = stronger field – Martin Beckett Dec 14 '17 at 17:29
  • Ah, so not only would the strength increase then spaces' vacuum balances it out, so in a vacuum is decreasing that density a way to counter measure the pull to a certain range, or would a decrease in mass change this? I know the lighter you are the easier you fly but when that magnetic force comes in you would need to decrease the strength – Nathaniel Barnhill Dec 14 '17 at 17:37
  • Sorry that makes no sense. Magnetic field depends on the number and type of atoms you can fit into the volume. The more you put closer together the stronger the field. Vacuum has nothing to do with it. – Martin Beckett Dec 14 '17 at 17:42
  • Well when i mentioned vacuum i was speaking about spaces vacuum but now i realize what you are saying, forgive me of my ignorance i'm trying to educate myself on something other than outdated textbooks and google. Also if something like carbon fiber could keep its strength, stay lightweight, but also avoid the effects of gravity then you might have something of use, of course this is not technology that can be easily created but if time gets put into this there could be a way to do it eventually. – Nathaniel Barnhill Dec 14 '17 at 19:52