Can electromagnets be used to repel as well as attract?
As they are sold, minimal to no repel can be achieved as they are designed to attract. What is needed to repel is a coil around an iron core with no outer shell. This configuration places a north pole at one end of the iron core and a south pole at the opposite end. The electromagnets as they are sold have a south pole and north pole on the same end. One pole is on the outside ring or shell and the other pole is located on the center post or core.
