Pendulum Wave Toy

__________________________________________________________________

You can see bigger versions of this scientific demonstration in museums and science departments. But we think this might be the first time it has been produced as an affordable table-top demonstration.

Fifteen ball bearings hang from a frame, suspended on fine threads. However this is not a version of the famous Newton's Cradle. Here the ball bearings are not touching, and in addition, each ball bearing has a different length of thread supporting it. The time a pendulum takes to move to and fro is dependent on the length of the pendulum. And here we have fifteen pendulums, all of different lengths!

Using the supplied wooden bar, move all the ball bearings to one side, and then move the bar out of the way. All the ball bearings start to swing from side to side. Initially they all (nearly) move together, but very quickly, other patterns start to appear....

[JoeTaber]

I think Tim just hypnotized half of YouTube. Great job, Tim.

[lucasmarch]

It would be even better if the strings were transparent

[ProfessorHeavyTF]

I understand the physics of it. But it doesn't cease to amaze me.


_and your voice is amazing_

[TheMGSFan]

When it began to break up it looks like a double helix if you focus hard enough

[matthewspence]

This is one of the most wonderful things in the universe. A device so simple offers such a deep view into the nature of the universe.

[ChickenPika]

Pendulum Wave would be an excellent name for an electronic music group.

[WinEntity]

PSA: If I ask for this for my birthday next year, DO NOT BUY IT. I would lock myself in my room with it forever, my productivity would drop to zero, and my friends and family would never hear from me again.

[ShteebVS]

Whenever I'm sad I listen to this guy's voice. You can't be sad when you listen to him.

[placidqualm]

2:34
Almost looks like there’s two rows
One above the other

[kexcz]

I knew from start how it works, but as always with physics, damn...! Just how many times it changed formation, and then even ended in almost same pattern, wow!

[Banana-uikj]

I got hypnotized lol, my hand kept bringing the phone screen closer and closer 👁 👄 👁

[designanddirection]

Positively hypnotic video! Tim's dulcet tones and the rhythmic waves of the pendulum. All it need was Tim to say "you are falling into a deep trance...."

[misterhamez]

 if he had something like this back in the 1300's, he would have been burned for witchcraft 

[robertskipcurran]

Apply some special paint to the spheres, darken the room, and turn a black light (or multiple black lights) on.

[GroovyDominoes]

1:06 now it looks like a laser gun war

[anjunamdeo]

I'm from 2076 and these balls are still moving

[micheallancton]

Never knew watching balls swing can be so entertaining.

[LinCalc]

They continue to stay in the same line, however the amount of time that it takes for each ball to follow the others path differs as time passes, and eventually it is actually the exact opposite as it was earlier

[oneawarer]

What you name snake is a sine wave
What you name two snakes is a higher frequency sine wave
What you name two rows is the highest frequency sine wave and when everything settles down to a line is called a full sweep or/and zero frequency.
Very very useful toy to have in a physics class.

[calindarul]

At first, i didnt understand why they were starting to go unsync-ed but then i realised they strongs are different in longivity

**FACEPALM INTENSIFIES**