Magnetic Top and Snake
This vintage toy available here::
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Magnetic Top with Snake
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Magnetic Top and Serpent: the magnetic tip of the spinning top stays on the perimeter of the steel snake, but since the top has much more mass, the snake moves the most, slithering to and fro. This vintage top and snake was a give away toy for kids flying on Western Airlines- a kinetic art toy that has been around for decades and takes advantage of Newton’s 3rd law and rotational kinetic energy.
Greedy Mug
Get this mug here:
From ACME: BUY NOW: Mug of Tantalus
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Learn more about the Pythagorean Cup on Wikipedia
Greedy Mug: a new design on the Pythagorean cup, this time with the siphon built into the handle. Pour in a tad too much tea and the whole mug drains out the side, but if only half full or so it’s safe from any leaks. I got this mug from the glass seller legend Cliff Stoll, of ACME Klein bottle fame. A fun physics toy with a deep history that traces back to Hero of Alexandria.
Simple Polarimeter and Polarization Art
This DIY device is part of the polarization kit that you will get from a MEL Physics subscription:
Subscribe to: MEL Physics (click to see the contents of this great kit).
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Simple Polarimeter and Polarization Art: another amazing experiment from the MEL Physics polarization science kit. Geometric patterns of overlapping cellophane tape with color revealed when viewed with linear polarizing filters- create your own polarization art! This kit provides two linear polarizing sheets that when oriented at 90 degrees creates this device that reveals rainbows hidden within the patterns of polarization in the light transmitted by various objects. In the first video the layers of cellophane rotate the polarization of some light frequencies more than others. In the second video the polarimeter colorfully reveals the trapped internal stresses created in many plastics from their formation process (typically cooling of a liquid in a mold). All items shown included in this kit (plus much more).
Tornado Spheres
Currently available here:
From eBay: BUY NOW: Tornado Spheres
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Tornado Spheres: two ball bearings welded together can be made to spin up to 2000+ rpm by the Magnus Effect using a stream of air. Shining three colored LEDs on the spinning pair produces an illusion of floating rings along with a second illusion that these rings are rotating and changing direction due to aliasing with the frame rate of the video camera (like the famous wagon-wheel effect).
Trefoil Marble Track
Get the 3D print files here:
From Cults#D: Download NOW: Trefoil Marble Run
Trefoil Marble Track: a fun fidget based on the simplest nontrivial knot in the mathematical realm of knot theory. This one is a right handed knot beautifully 3D printed to contain a steel marble that with some technique can be made to rapidly cycle the closed loop path. A design by the team at SpooliganLabs.
Coupled Oscillator Wave Wires
Made with this affordable kit- get it here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Kinetic magnetic Wires Kit
Similar kits available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Kinetic Magnet Wires Kit
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inetic Wave Wire: a mass on the end of a wire spring becomes a coupled harmonic oscillator with two modes of oscillation, one along a horizontal direction and one at approximately a right angle. As the kinetic energy trades between these two modes the reflection of light off the spherical mass traces out a Lissajous curve which gets smaller in size each cycle as friction dissipates energy from the system. The full beauty of this motion is captured by recording the light traced using the Slow Shutter Cam App by Cogitap Software which unveils the nested family of curves.
Magentic Dandelion
Here is a very powerful NdFeB neodymium magnet that will work withlarger nails:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Neodymium Disk Magnet
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Please use extreme caution when handeling strong magnets like this one. Small nails, paperclips, staples and other houlshold object made with iron will interact interestingly with the magnetic field.
Magnetic Dandelion: through ferromagnetic interaction these iron rich nails temporarily become dipole magnets in the presence of an intense magnetic field from a neodymium super magnet. Here the neodymium disk magnet is set with its north pole pointing up, so the point of each nail becomes a south pole (repelling each other) and the head of each becomes a north pole. Imbued with these temporary induced fields, the nails will try to align themselves with the neodymium dipole’s field like compass needles, and the nails will interact with each other in interesting ways.
3 Cs Elastic Equilibrium Puzzle
This puzzle is hard to find, here is a version by the same inventor: Atomic Cherries
Elastic Equilibrium Puzzle: six spheres held together by three wooden springs. When assembled each sphere exerts the same force on its four neighboring spheres, producing this equilibrium state only if all six spheres are used to balance all the forces. A fun configuration to analyze in a 1st year physics course. “3 Cs” is a puzzle invented by Dick Esterle and shared at G4G16.
Anamorphic Locomotion Cup & Saucer
Animated Horse set available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Luycho Locomotion Horse Cup & Saucer
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
CAUTION: There are poorly made counterfeit versions on Amazon as well. Only these origial Luycho products produce a clean animation and image.
Locomotion Anamorphic Cup & Saucer: an amazing combination of barrier grid animation and anamorphic projection rendered on elegant porcelain. The warped image on the saucer is reconstructed by reflection off the surface of the cup, however the gold mirroring is comprised of parallel lines that only reflect part of the image pattern. Turing the cup (or the saucer and cup together) reveals a flying bird or running horse! Another expertly crafted product from Luycho.
Emission Spectra Gases on Radial Mount
I made the display holder and I got this set of gas tubes here (about $9 per tube):
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Gas Pure Element Samples
From engineDIY: BUY NOW: Mini Tesla Coil
For the price, this is the best one on the market- and beautiful to look at in copper- and it comes with three accessories for the top. Please be sure to employ all appropriate safety precautions when utilizing any electrical circuity!
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
The mount is made by driling holes in this acrylic tube: 4" Acrylic Tube
The breakdown voltages of the elements featured in this post are described by Paschen's Law:
Emission Spectra Gas Samples: pure samples of hydrogen, nitrogen and five noble gasses are subjected to the high frequency pulsed field of a miniature Tesla coil. Each gas has a characteristic breakdown voltage and emission spectrum- note that Nitrogen has the highest breakdown voltage and begins to glow after the presence of my hand temporarily lowers the resistance to current flow for that tube. The color of each gas is due to a mix of the colors emitted from electron energy transitions specific to each element- the basis of spectroscopy. Notice also that the purple color of the brush discharge at the top of the Tesla coil matches closely to the color of the nitrogen sample, which makes sense as air is 78% nitrogen.
Spin Top Carousel
Often available here with other whimsical spinning tops from this store:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Gyro-Carousel Globe Tops
Read the physics paper here: Angular Momentum Transfer in the Spinning Top Carousel
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Spin Top Carousel: two spin tops of the same mass hang balanced on the ends of a beam such that their rotational motion is allowed to transfer to the system as a whole. The tops are set to spin as usual, but here small neodymium magnets are embedded in the tops of their stems which allows them to connect and hang from metal pins in the beam. The physics of how the angular momentum of the tops is transferred to the rotation of the system of this new toy is still under study. Made by German artisan Kurt Juergen Weigl.
Harbottle Air Pressure Demonstration
This item came to me in my Curiosity Box subsciption:
Get (or give!) a Curiosity Box subscription here: JOIN NOW: The Curiosity Box
Similar device available here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW: Harbottle Air Pressure Demonstration
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Harbottle Balloon Demo: a regular untied balloon remains inflated- one can even look down the neck of the balloon and see inside! Just blow up the balloon inside the bottle and then cork the hole in the opposite end- in so doing the inside of the balloon is experiencing the full force of air pressure, but the exterior of the balloon is protected from the crush of air pressure by the rigid wall of the bottle. Air pressure at sea level is 10.1 Newtons of force per each square centimeter of area (14.6 pounds per square inch). The bottle allows a pressure differential, pressure on the inside but much less on the outside of the balloon. Take the cork out- now both sides experience the same air pressure and the elastic force is no longer balanced. A fun demonstration reminding us that we live at the bottom of a deep sea of atmosphere!
Karmagami Kaleidocycle
Get one here:
From Fun in Motion: BUY NOW: Karmagami Fidget
Similar items here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Kaleidocycle Tetrahedrons
Or make your own: More Kaleidocycles
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armagami Kaleidocycle: a ring of six linked tetrahedra. The hinged connections allow the ring to be rotated through its center, and the interesting geometry results in a cycle of four patterns. A fun math fidget- this one produced by Fun in Motion Toys
Chaotic Decision Pendulum
Get similar devices here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Chaotic Decision-Aider Pendulum
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Chaotic Decision Maker Pendulum: adding magnetic forces to gravity gives this comical pointing pendulum chaotic motion- not random, but very sensitive to slight differences in initial launch conditions. Each “choice” has a dipole magnet underneath which attracts a magnet in the hand and locks the pointer into place, but only after enough kinetic has been dissipated, and until that final state is obtained the motion is chaotic. Fun physics behind this novelty gag gift.
Denary Dice Set
This d1-d10 dice set currentnly available here:
From curiositybox.com: BUY NOW: Denary Dice Set
Collecting math and physics toys? I reccoemnd a Curiosity Box subscription: JOIN NOW: The Curiosity Box
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Denary Dice Set: whimsical and wonderful, this set of dice expands on the standard d4, d6, d8, and d10 to include all integers up to 10- including a d1(!) for which the physics of the design ensures it will always land face up, and a d2, to formalize a coin flip into a die. A delightful creation from the folks at thecuriositybox
Solenoid Piston Engine
Get this miniature motor here:
From EngineDIY: BUY NOW: Solenoid Pistion Engine
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Solenoid Piston Motor: an oscillating magnet is pushed by an electromagnet (coil) which is powered at a precise time in the cycle, and when the current is off momentum keeps the rotation going until the next push. The switch to the coil is a push rod driven by a cam which is set to make the timing right. A fun little demonstration of an interesting motor design.
Tiny Leaf Blower Coanda Effect Toy
Get the "World's Smallest Leaf Blower" here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Smallest Leaf Blower
An inexpensive supply of styrofoam balls available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Styrofoam Balls Assorted
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Tiny Leaf Blower Toy: this little battery operated blower is great for experimenting with the Coandă effect. Here an air stream attaches and wraps around the styrofoam ball trapping it in the center of the stream. As the air changes direction to flow around the ball, momentum is imparted to push the ball against gravity and levitating it in equilibrium. A cylinder constrains the airflow and temporarily changes the dynamics which allows the airstream to push the ball up and out- and if one aims carefully the ball will fall back into the Coandă effect trap.
Repelling Marbles Puzzle
Get this affordable and fun kit here:
From Educational Innovations: BUY NOW Mystery Marbles Puzzle Kit
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Mystery Marbles Puzzle: a physics brain teaser (now available as a kit) what's going on here? Three glass marbles can move but stay separated in this liquid filled tube no matter the orientation- why do they not touch? Swipe for reveal of components.
See also: Poly-acrylamide Polymer Vanishing Act
