Maglev train

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/maglev-train

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Maglev train?Conceptualized early 20th century; practical development from the 1970s
2. What is the category?Magnetic Levitation High-Speed Rail
3. What is the applications?High-speed intercity passenger transport, airport links, urban transit
4. How does a maglev train stay in the air?It uses magnetic levitation. The train has electromagnets or superconducting magnets that push against a metal track, keeping it 10–15 mm above the guideway.
5. Why can maglev trains go faster than regular trains?Because they don't touch the tracks, there is no friction to slow them down. This lets them reach speeds over 300 mph.

Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS): A maglev system using attraction between electromagnets on the train and the guideway.
Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS): A maglev system using repulsion between superconducting magnets on the train and guideway coils.
Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM): A propulsion system where the guideway acts as a motor stator, creating a traveling magnetic wave.
Superconducting Magnets: Magnets that exhibit zero electrical resistance when cooled to very low temperatures.