Magnetic Force on a Cylindrical Magnet near a Ferromagnetic

Surface
Physics Problem Solution

April 6, 2025

1 Problem Statement
Consider a long cylindrical permanent magnet of radius r, which is placed on an infinitely
large table made of ferromagnetic material. The base of the cylinder is in contact with the
smooth surface of the table. The magnet has a constant and homogeneous axial magnetization
M. Consider the ferromagnetic material as a medium with a constant but very high relative
permeability (µr ≫ 1). What is the magnetic force acting on the magnet?

2 Analysis
2.1 Problem Setup and Model
We model the system as follows:

• A cylindrical magnet occupies the region 0 ≤ z ≤ L, ρ ≤ r, where ρ =

p
x2 + y 2 .

• The magnet is ”long”, implying L ≫ r. We can consider the limit L → ∞ where appro-
priate.

• The magnet has uniform axial magnetization M = mẑ, where m is a constant magnitude.

• The table occupies the region z < 0. It is made of a ferromagnetic material with very
high relative permeability, µr → ∞.

• The base of the magnet (z = 0) is in contact with the table surface.

• We need to find the net magnetic force F exerted on the magnet.

2.2 Equivalent Magnetic Poles

A permanent magnet with uniform magnetization M can be represented by equivalent magnetic
surface pole densities σm = M · n̂, where n̂ is the outward normal vector from the magnet’s
surface. The equivalent volume pole density ρm = −∇ · M = 0 since M is uniform.
The surface pole densities are:

• Top surface (z = L, ρ ≤ r): The outward normal is n̂ = ẑ.

σm,top = M · ẑ = (mẑ) · ẑ = m

• Bottom surface (z = 0, ρ ≤ r): The outward normal is n̂ = −ẑ.

σm,bottom = M · (−ẑ) = (mẑ) · (−ẑ) = −m

1
 • Side surface (ρ = r, 0 ≤ z ≤ L): The outward normal is n̂ = ρ̂.

σm,side = M · ρ̂ = (mẑ) · ρ̂ = 0

Thus, the magnet is equivalent to two disks of magnetic charge: a disk with uniform density
+m at z = L and a disk with uniform density −m at z = 0.

2.3 Method of Images

The ferromagnetic table at z < 0 has µr → ∞. This condition imposes a boundary condition
on the magnetic field H at the interface z = 0. Specifically, the tangential component of H
must be continuous across the boundary. Since B = µH and µ → ∞ inside the ferromagnet,
for B to remain finite, H must approach zero inside. Therefore, the tangential component of H
just outside the surface must be zero:

Ht (x, y, z = 0+ ) = 0

This boundary condition can be satisfied using the method of images. For a magnet with mag-
netization M placed near a µr → ∞ boundary, the field in the region outside the ferromagnet
(z > 0) can be calculated by replacing the ferromagnet with an image magnet. The image mag-
net’s magnetization Mimage is related to the original magnetization M such that the normal
component is the same and the tangential component is reversed.
In our case, M = mẑ is purely normal to the boundary z = 0. Therefore, the image magnet,
located in the region −L ≤ z ≤ 0, has the same magnetization:

Mimage = mẑ

The equivalent poles of the image magnet are:

• Image top surface (z = 0): Outward normal from image is n̂ = ẑ.

′
σm (0) = Mimage · ẑ = m

• Image bottom surface (z = −L): Outward normal from image is n̂ = −ẑ.

′
σm (−L) = Mimage · (−ẑ) = −m

The magnetic field in the region z > 0 is the superposition of the fields produced by the original
magnet’s poles (σm (L) = +m at z = L, σm (0) = −m at z = 0) and the image magnet’s poles
′ (0) = +m at z = 0, σ ′ (−L) = −m at z = −L).
(σm m

2.4 Force Calculation

The magnetic force on the original magnet is the force exerted by the field of the image magnet
on the poles of the original magnet. Let F (d) denote the magnitude of the force between two
parallel coaxial disks of radius r, separated by an axial distance d, each carrying a uniform
magnetic pole density of magnitude m. The force is repulsive if the signs are the same (+m and
+m, or −m and −m) and attractive if the signs are opposite (+m and −m). The magnitude
F (d) is the same in both cases.
The total force F on the original magnet is the vector sum of the forces on its top and
bottom poles due to the image poles:
′ (0) = +m (image top): Repulsive, distance L.
1. Force on σm (L) = +m (original top) by σm
Force: +F (L)ẑ.

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 ′ (−L) = −m (image bottom): Attractive,
2. Force on σm (L) = +m (original top) by σm
distance 2L. Force: −F (2L)ẑ.
′ (0) = +m (image top): Attractive, distance
3. Force on σm (0) = −m (original bottom) by σm
0. Force: −F (0)ẑ.
′ (−L) = −m (image bottom): Repulsive,
4. Force on σm (0) = −m (original bottom) by σm
distance L. Force: +F (L)ẑ.

Summing these forces:

F = (+F (L) − F (2L) − F (0) + F (L))ẑ
F = [2F (L) − F (2L) − F (0)]ẑ

2.5 Long Cylinder Limit (L → ∞)

The problem states the cylinder is ”long”, which means L ≫ r. In the limit L → ∞, the
distance between the interacting poles becomes large compared to their radius r. The force
between two distant disks behaves like the force between point poles, which decreases as 1/d2 .
Therefore, as L → ∞:
F (L) → 0 and F (2L) → 0
The total force expression simplifies significantly:

F ≈ −F (0)ẑ

The dominant force is the attraction between the bottom pole of the magnet (σm (0) = −m)
′ (0) = +m), which are effectively superimposed at z = 0.
and its image pole (σm

2.6 Calculation of F (0)

F (0) is the magnitude of the attractive force between the original pole density σ1 = −m on the
disk at z = 0 and the image pole density σ2 = +m, also effectively at z = 0. The force on pole
1 due to the magnetic field H2 generated by pole 2 is given by:
Z
F12 = µ0 σ1 H2 dA
A1

We need the field H2 produced by the image pole disk σ2 = +m at the location of the original
pole disk σ1 = −m. Since the original magnet is in the region z > 0, we evaluate the field just
above the z = 0 plane, i.e., at z = 0+ .
The magnetic field H produced by an infinite sheet of magnetic pole density σ is H = (σ/2)n̂,
where n̂ is the normal vector pointing away from the sheet. For a finite disk of radius r with
density σ, the field on the axis is more complex, but right at the surface (z = 0+ for a disk at
z = 0), the field is uniform across the disk and given by H = (σ/2)ẑ (assuming the disk is in
the xy-plane and ẑ points away).
The field produced by the image disk σ2 = +m at z = 0+ is:
σ2 m
H2 (z = 0+ ) = ẑ = ẑ
2 2
This field is uniform over the area of the original disk (A = πr2 ). The force on the original
bottom disk (σ1 = −m) is then:
Z Z m 
F= µ0 σ1 H2 dA = µ0 (−m) ẑ dA
A A 2

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 µ0 m2 µ0 m2
Z
F=− ẑ dA = − (πr2 )ẑ
2 A 2
πr2 µ0 m2
The force vector is F = − 2 ẑ. The magnitude F (0) is:

πr2 µ0 m2 πr2 µ0 m2
F (0) = − =
2 2

2.7 Final Result

Substituting the value of F (0) into the approximate force expression for the long cylinder:

πr2 µ0 m2
F ≈ −F (0)ẑ = − ẑ
2
The magnetic force acting on the magnet is directed downwards (towards the table, in the −ẑ
2 2
direction), indicating attraction. Its magnitude is πr µ20 m .

3 Conclusion
The magnetic force acting on the long cylindrical permanent magnet placed on the infinitely
large ferromagnetic table is:
πr2 µ0 m2
F=− ẑ
2
This is an attractive force pulling the magnet towards the table.