Corona Discharge Trajectories
Mini Tesla coil with wire end attachment- get one here:
From engineDIY: BUY NOW: Mini Tesla Coil
Long exposure image captured using this Slow Shutter app:
From App Store: BUY NOW: Slow Shutter Cam
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Corona Discharge Trajectories: the ejected electron stream propels the end of a thin wire connected to a miniature Tesla coil. The corona discharge creates a glowing plasma at the end of the wire, but also imparts momenta that pushes the wire’s end into a final state circular orbit. The more interesting behavior occurs during the initial transient orbits which seem to be hypotrochoid type curves beautifully captured here using the Slow Shutter app. Please see seven posts back for details about this mini Tesla coil.
Superellipsoid
Vintage Super Eggs of Piet Hein can be found here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Superellipsoid by Piet Hein
Get one in brass from this shop:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Brass Super Egg
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Superellipsoid: the "super egg" is a mathematical creation of Danish scientist and artist Piet Hein (also the inventor of the Soma cube puzzle). The equation of the superellipse is that of a regular ellipse, but raising both sides to the power of 2.5 instead of 2- the resulting curve had a flattened end that allows the superellipsoid to stand upright. The superelljpse has found use in architecture and design. This super egg is made of stainless steel.
Van de Graaff Generator
This device is sold as the "Static Shocker" hands on lab. Get one here for $8.95! :
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Static Shocker Mini Van de Graaff
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Van de Graaff Generator: this miniature electrostatic generator can create potentials of more than 50,000 volts allowing sparks to jump a couple centimeters through dry air. Similar physics to the sparks created when shoes scuff on carpet, a moving rubber dielectric belt carries electrons away from the top sphere leaving it positive charged- as can be seen by the electrostatic repulsion of some Mylar strands. A small battery powered 3V motor drives the belt via the bottom pulley in this unit that costs less than $10 US.?With appreciation to @educational_innovations for sending me this device!
Tork Kinetic Sculpture
This item from the 1970s is sometimes available on eBay:
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See the patent here: US3516193
Tork Kinetic Sculpture: the motion of this 1975 vintage kinetic art may seem random at first, but it is actually three modes of motion combined in this coupled harmonic oscillator. The shape of the spring equally allows for forward/backward oscillations and side to side oscillations, when launched it will trade back and forth between these two modes producing a Lissajous curve. Superimposed is a vertical oscillation adding a comical touch. Produced and patented(1970) by Donald Max Engleman of Kinetic Objects Inc.
Ringer Box and Telephone Magneto
Vintage ringer boxes are available here (see next video for antique magneto generators):
From Etsy: BUY NOW Antique Ringer Box
vintage magnetos are available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Vintage Bar Magneto Generators
Wikipedia has a nice description of the physics and mechanics of these electric bells.
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Ringer Box and Telephone Magneto: a functioning antique 5 bar telephone magneto generator (made in 1910!) creates alternating current which energizes the twin solenoids of the ringer box. The copper wire coils in the solenoids (green cylinders) become electromagnets which flip their north and south poles with each cycle of the AC current. The flipping magnetic fields at the ends of the coils pull the metal clapper back and forth ringing the bells. Back in 1910 only 40% of US homes had electricity so these generators were used to ring bells up to 20 miles away! With sufficient cranking speed this generator can create more than 280 Volts AC peak to peak using the characteristic horseshoe shaped magnets (bars) which provide the induction field.
Pegasus Automaton
Get this Pegasus, and many other automata (dragons, fish, flying pigs!) from Keith Newstead's Etsy store:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Automata Kinetic Art by Newstead
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Pegasus Automaton: Turn a crank and this metal pterippus takes flight using simple mechanisms in what mechanical engineers call a closed kinematic chain. In his elegantly crafted automata, artist Keith Newstead uses a crank connected to linkages with multiple joints to translate rotational motion to choreographed linear and oscillatory motions.
Kinetic Sandscape
This version is very well made and shows the phenomena of spontaneous stratification better than most versions I've seen:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Kinetic Sandscape
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Kinetic Sandscape: the phenomenon of spontaneous stratification is a striking feature of this sand motion desk toy. Typically pouring stuff together results in further mixing, yet here, when the sand mixture descends through a gap in the air bubbles, the resulting pile is ordered into sorted layers. The larger rounded dark grains separate from the smaller sharp-edged white grains forming the layers you see here. The darker grains alone would stack into a steeper pile (larger angle of repose) than the white which would form a less steep pile. The stratification process is a slow one in this device, here about 30 minutes have been condensed to the 60 second IG format.
Ultimate Solid of Constant Width
Available in three metals and two finishes.
From The Matter Collection:
Order NOW: Ultimate Solid of Constant Width- Brass
Order NOW: Ultimate Solid of Constant Width- Steel
Order NOW: Ultimate Solid of Constant Width- Copper
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Ultimate Solid of Constant Width: Reuleaux tetrahedrons with specially calculated curved edges become volumes of constant width- possibly the minimum volume that can possess this property. The shape featured here is a new discovery of a solid of constant width that has perfect tetrahedral symmetry. Made from solid steel, brass, and copper- these shapes have constant diameter no matter their orientation and will roll like spheres between two planes- note how the acrylic plate remains parallel to the desktop as the orbiforms roll in between. Currently available on Kickstarter from my friends at the Matter Collection : Reuleaux tetrahedrons with specially calculated curved edges become volumes of constant width- possibly the minimum volume that can possess this property. The shape featured here is a recent discovery of a solid of constant width that has perfect tetrahedral symmetry. Made from solid steel, brass, and copper- these shapes have constant diameter no matter their orientation and will roll like spheres between two planes- note how the acrylic plate remains parallel to the desktop as the orbiforms roll in between. Currently available from my friends at the Matter Collection
High Tech Rain Stick
Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Acrylic Rain Stick
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Get the spectrum analysis app here: SpectrumView - Oxford Wave Research Ltd.
Wikipedia has nice articles about white noise and other colors of noise described with the math of spectrum analysis
High Tech Rain Stick: white noise- the sound of two thousand metal spheres falling and bouncing through a plastic labyrinth creates a power spectrum of sound waves with all frequencies at equal intensity, creating the shhh sound we often encounter from many random processes. Part of the cascade slowed to 240 FPS midway through video.
Magnetic Chaotic Pendulum
Currently available here: From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Chaotic Pendulum
Chick here for similar chaotic systems
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Magnetic Chaotic Pendulum: adding magnetic forces to gravity gives this pendulum chaotic motion- not random, but very sensitive to slight differences in initial launch conditions. Arranging the dipoles magnets on the base leads to different patterns of motion- here the center magnet attracts and the rest are set to repel. ROMP pendulum by Hog Wild toy company.
Trammel of Archimedes
Get similar devices here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Trammel of Archimedes
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Trammel of Archimedes: as the shuttles take turns completing their straight line journeys, the end of the crank arm traces an ellipse. Sometimes sold as a “do nothing machine” or “nothing grinder”, far from doing nothing this simple and crucially important mechanism demonstrates how rotational motion can be converted into translational oscillatory motion- such as how a piston can drive an engine’s crankshaft. This version was crafted from fine maple, cherry, and oak by artisan Neal Olsen.
5 Shuttle Trammel of Archimedes
Get similar devices here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Trammel of Archimedes
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See this great video by the Mathologer for more details: Secrets of the Nothing Grinder
5 Shuttle Trammel of Archimedes: similar to yesterday’s post- but more math is revealed as extra shuttles are added. As the shuttles take turns completing their straight line journeys, the end of the crank arm traces an ellipse- and each of the five shuttle points define points on a smaller circle that rolls within the perimeter of the device. This version was crafted from fine maple, cherry, and oak by artisan Neal Olsen.
Aquarius Fountain Lamp
These fountains are individually made by the artist hence they are priced as art reflecting the labor involved:
From Etsy store of Stephen Co : BUY NOW Aquarius Fountain Lamp
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Aquarius Fountain Lamp: an oscillating stream of water is illuminated by strobe lights to reveal underlying structures and forms typically hidden from our vision. With the help of programmable micro-controllers, strips of addressable RBG LEDs are made to flash in sequences that make the water stream appear to move upwards, change colors, and split into multiple braided streams. Art meets physics and clever technology in this wonderful creation by computer engineer Stephen Co. With sincere appreciation to Stephen @northerncircuits for sending me one of his hand crafted high tech fountains.
Reverse Cartesian Diver
Glass divers available here: From Amazon: BUY NOW Glass Divers
The reverse diver needs a bottle with a oval shaped cross section. I used the bottle from this product- it has the right shape and size and the label comes off easily:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Oval Shaped Bottle Source
Inexpensive and fun diver kits available here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Cartesian Diver Kits
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Wikipedia has the details on the Cartesian diver (and reverse diver).
Reverse Cartesian Diver: physics puzzle (swipe for hint). On the left is a Cartesian diver- pressing on the bottle forces water into the glass diver, which then compresses the bubble in diver’s head allowing it to sink. On the right is a reverse Cartesian diver- again the bottle is pinched but this time the diver ascends- why?