Another amazing product by the Mr. Sci Science Toy Factory
From Mr. Sci Science Toy Factory: Trichroic Prism
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Trichroic Beam Splitter: this cube of four prisms with dichroic optical coatings allows a beam of white light to be separated into red, green, and blue. Used in multi-element CCD array cameras and other optical instruments. Another amazing item from the product line of @mrscisciencefactory
Many versions of this kaleidoscope are available:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Fluid Flow Kaleidoscope
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UV Fluid Flow Kaleidoscope: original glitter wand kaleidoscope made by Illusions back in the 1990s. Intricate geometry from multiple reflections coupled with the viscous fluid motion of the glitter produces this psychedelic kinetic art. Under the illumination of a UV light this version takes it to the next level featuring fluorescent pieces and phosphorescent stars in the fluid of the wand.
These are hard to find--
also beware that some versions of this cup (Dragonware) contain images many would consider "adult content"!
I recommend making one with a shot glass and a marble as described in this fun collection of DIY science experiments by Martin Gardner:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Science Fun by Martin Gardner
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Magic Sake Cup: when this antique ceramic sakasuki is filled with clear liquid an image of a bride is revealed! The spherical glass lens at the bottom has a very long focal length in air, but when immersed in water the glass marble has the same focal length as a magnifying glass, unveiling the portrait. Refraction depends heavily on the refractive index of the two transparent mediums.
Many designs to choose :
BUY NOW Anamorphic Cup & Saucer
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Mirror Anamorphic Cup & Saucer: endangered animals series- Thomson's Gazelle by Luycho. The reflection in the 24 linear mirrors of the cup assembles the scrambled image on the saucer. Art meets math and physics!
Available in many colors and shapes:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Splat Pig
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Splat Pig Ball: water filled ball made of an extremely elastic and sticky (tacky) soft polymer. This toy can regain its initial shape after extraordinary deformation- as caught in 240 fps slow motion (see the replay). The exact chemical makeup of these splat toys seems to be a trade secret but involves the following main constituents: polymerizing styrene, butadiene napthenic oil, calcium carbonate, and hydrogenated polyterpene resin as a tackifier that allows the temporary adhesion to the surface. Similar polymers are used in toys such as wall tumblers and sticky hands.
Here is an affordable version of this device:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Flow Ring
The original version is available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Toroflux
Get one and flow with it!
From Art of Play: BUY NOW: The Toroflux
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Why does it look like a bubble when moving fast? Wikipedia has the details: when the object exceeds a certain speed the flicker fusion frequency of our vision produces the bubble illusion.
The physics of the toroflux is wonderfully illustrated and explained in this article by Daniel Walsh.
Toroflux: kinetic art toy made from a single continuous loop of stainless steel band. The band of spring metal is woven such that it forms a torus that can clamp on to and roll down a stick, segment of tubing, or even an arm. Amazing combination of math and kinetic art invented by Jochen Valett.
Get one here:
From feelflux.com: BUY NOW Feel Flux
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Feel Flux: a toy utilizing Lenz's Law- a very strong neodymium magnet falls slowly down a copper tube as though passing through a viscous liquid. Moving magnetic fields produce electric currents in a conductor (such as copper). These currents then produce magnetic fields that have the opposite polarity to the initial field. So a falling magnet makes the copper tube briefly into an electromagnet that repels the magnet.
Get some magnetic viewing film here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Viewing Film
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Magnetic Poles of Refrigerator Magnets: visualizing the invisible with Magnaview film- the secrets of refrigerator magnets revealed. A special orientation of the magnetic poles called a Halbach array allows for a strong magnetic field on one side and a very weak one on the other- refrigerator magnets only stick on one side by design!
Metal version is available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Metal Rattleback
These acrylic versions work great and are inexpensive:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Rattlebacks
From Amazon: BUY NOW Rattlebacks
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Stainless Steel Rattleback: prefers to spin counter clockwise. If spun clockwise, a complicated combination of friction, precession, and instability induced vibrations transforms the rotational energy into into rattling (energy of oscillations) and then into rotational energy in the opposite direction! This behavior is related to the asymmetric shape of the bottom of this kind of rattleback, it's somewhat propeller shaped with an "S" curve along the bottom ridge.
Available through Indiegogo here:
From Indiegogo: ORDER NOW Tesla's Insight
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Magneto Top: a top that generates electricity and lights LEDs when spun. This top contains a strong dipole magnet which becomes the rotor in this alternator set up. A 1000 turn coil in the base can be adjusted so that the rapidly changing magnetic field of the top will induce an AC current in accordance with Faraday's law. The intensity of the light emitted from the LEDs in the base indicates how much current is being generated. Special thanks to Tobi Lee of @fireflylabs for sending me one of his Tesla's Insight tops.
The 50/50 cube is no longer in production. Here are similar density cubes of Tungsten and Aluminum that feel amazing to compare:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Tungsten Density Conparison Cubes
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50/50 Cube: a handheld study in material density contrast. This precision machined block is comprised of equal 200g masses of the metals tungsten (W) and magnesium (Mg)- however the volume of magnesium is 11 times that of the very dense tungsten! One must hold and manipulate this simple sculpture for greatest impact. W: 19.25g/cm3 Mg: 1.74g/cm3
Get a set of Reuleaux solids here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Volumes of Constant Width
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Volumes of Constant Width: these shapes have constant diameter no matter their orientation and will roll like spheres between two planes- note how the acrylic plate stays parallel to the table top. Two of these three solids are based on the Reuleaux triangle and the other on a Reuleaux pentagon.
Available in "pro" metal version and colored rings version:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Jitter Gyro Ring
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Jitter Gyro Ring: a 1990s skill toy craze out of New Zealand that features small rings that "roll" down a thicker steel ring and making a characteristic chattering sound as they go. Swiping the small rings gets them spinning and gives them angular momentum. Centripetal acceleration then keeps the inside of the small rings in contact with the steel ring so that they roll around as they descend (seen here in 240fps slow motion). The challenge is to rotate the large ring fast enough to keep the small rings in motion.
The best effect (highest fountain) is obtained by using #10 size chain with a bead diameter of 3/16" (4.8mm). This spool has 100 feet of chain, the same length as used in the video.
From Amazon: BUY NOW #10 ball chain
Wikipedia has the details on the discovery of the chain fountain, and for those that want the physics here is the paper: Understanding the Chain Fountain from Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 2014
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Chain Fountain: as the chain flows out of the glass under the pull of gravity the beads don't simply roll over the edge but instead arc up upward like a fountain. As each link is pulled and tilted upward the adjacent link is tilted downward and pressed into the pile- by Newton's 3rd law the pile presses back pushing each bead upward into the air. A segment of the video is shown in slow motion where the fountain is at maximum height. This phenomena was recently discovered by Steve Mould (more to be seen at his YouTube channel) and the details of the physics is described in the Proceedings of the Royal Society by Biggins & Warner (2014).
This item is a vintage art piece from the 1970s and unfortunately I do not know the artist. Similar devices currently on the market include the Ooze tube:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW: Ooze Tube
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Bubble in Viscous Fluid: vintage kinetic art piece from the 1970s- the rising bubble contorts around three ring shaped obstructions with peculiar motion. I love how this construction emphasizes the flow pattern of the air bubble. Another example of the surprising physics to be found in fluid motion.
Many modern versions available- many light up!
From Amazon: BUY NOW Rail Twirler Magnet Wheel
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Whee-Lo: the original version of this toy from the '60s- physics of: angular momentum, magnets, rotational and translational kinetic energy, phase locking, it's all there. Who else had one of these?
Get one here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Display Stand Light Pipe
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Light Pipe: internal reflection constrains most of the laser light to propagate along the bent acrylic rod- the physics of fiber optics. This plastic stand is sold as a hanging ornament display- repurposed here as a great light-pipe demonstration.