Re: Physics Q (x post)
I just reread the OP and notice he describes the magnets as "shifting" to the right. That doesn't sound like they fall and slowly curve to the right. It sounds like they make a sudden "shift" to the right and then fall downward. If this is correct, it sounds much more likely to be caused by the lag in the back magnet's position of polarity catching up to the front magnet's rotated position of polarity. The effect is most pronounced right at the beginning. Once the polarities get back in opposite synch the effect goes away and the magnets, after shifting to the right drop down more and more straight as their rightward momentum is slowed by friction.
Someone else will have to explain how out of synch polarities act to force the shift to the right.
PairTheBoard
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