Lenz’s law and a magnet on the end of a fishing line in a conducting tube

Abstract A simple experiment is described that links Lenz’s law to Newton’s laws of motion. A length of fishing line is glued to a rare earth magnet. When the magnet is dropped through the centre of a conducting tube placed on a tared balance, while the magnet is descending at constant velocity, the balance reading becomes equal to the mass of the magnet. When the descent of the magnet is arrested by grabbing the fishing line, the balance reading falls to zero. When the magnet is lifted, the reading becomes negative.