Re: Is Perpetual Motion possible? If not, why?

The classic definition perpetual motion is not possible if any source of
inefficiency exists and a source of inefficiency (friction) is always present in
a classical setting.  For example, even satellites orbiting the earth will
sooner or later come crashing down as a variety of outside forces work against
the orbit.  Anything that adds energy to the system (like a battery) defeats the
spirit of the perpetual motion quest.  An example of this is a pocket calculator
powered by solar cell and battery assist.  To the user it may seem like
perpetual motion, but it is constantly getting energy from the light around it
or the battery inside.

Giving your system an initial kick with a battery or some energy source may seem
like a perpetual motion machine, but if your apparatus stores this energy it
really does not qualify in the tradition sense of perpetual motion.  At some
point your device is going to need a re-charge.  The calculator in the above
example is constantly being recharged.

I recommend looking into superconducting magnets which are the closest thing I
know to true perpetual motion.  An initial current is placed in the
superconducting wires and then the current source is removed and the
superconducting magnet can go on forever provided it is kept cold enough to stay
superconducting.

Sincerely,

Tom "Nap Master" Cull