Re: [Phys-l] magnet keepers

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 08/25/2011 01:49 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> Does a keeper keep (physics myth?), 

Sometimes, yes.  It is not a myth.

> and if so, why?

"Why" is almost certainly the wrong question.

If you meant to ask "how is that related to other stuff we 
know", then the answer is simple:  It lowers the energy of
the system, making it unconditionally stable, as opposed
to metastable.

In some cases the metastability is so robust that no keeper 
is needed, while in other cases the keeper demonstrably helps.