The Mathematica Book
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Motivated by observing a tennis ball bounce off of a tennis racket we envision a parallel scenario where a magnetic ball bounces off a virtual magnetic net. A steady DC current in a closed horizontal loop casts the invisible elastic magnetic net. Contrary to a mechanical net the magnetic net continuously stays in contact with the magnetic ball. By adjusting the relevant parameters we seek for steady bounces. The equation describing the oscillation is a highly nonlinear differential equation and is symbolically unsolvable. Deploying Mathematica [1] we solve the equation numerically conducive to kinematics. Inclusion of viscosity generalizes the scope of the analysis resulting modified kinematics. We include also a 3D animation simulating the nonlinear oscillations of the magnetic ball.