Gravimorph Kinetic Art
The kinetic art of Kazunari Higuchi is available from these sources:
From Nozaki Limited: BUY NOW: Gravimorph KInietics (fine art versions)
From NERIO: BUY NOW: Wooden Kinetic Sculptures (produced on demand)
Check out this video of a short tour of a recent gallery exhibit to see the whimsical and unexpected motion displayed in his art.
Gravimorph Spindle: an example of the subtle yet intricate kinetic art of Kazunari Higuchi whose work always features unintuitive motion of uniquely shaped objects coupled with an intriguing audio experience- and powered only by the transformation of gravitational potential energy to the kinetic energy of motion.
Vintage Bulb Spectra
Get this diffraction grating here: explore light source spectra!
From Amazon: BUY NOW: 500 line/mm diffraction grating
Vintage Bulb Spectra: emission line spectra identify the gas within these two vintage discharge glow bulbs- revealed here by a 500 line/mm diffraction grating. 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.
Magic Portal Illusion
Get one, expertly printed and assembled, here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Magic Portal Illusion Desk Toy
Or print it yourself: 3D Print Files: Magic Portal Desk Toy
Magic Portal Illusion: this astonishing design utilizes the famous barber pole illusion to make it appear as though these colorful strands are passing in and out of a 4th dimension. The mechanical principle employed is similar to that of a lead screw and slider type actuator, except here translating the slider up and down rotates the helical strands at just the right rate to produce the illusion. An amazing 3D print creation of Ada Cohen, printed and assembled by Alex L. Kling.
Iron Filing Field Detector
This device and similar ones available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Magnetic Field Demonstrator Kits
Iron Filing Field Detector: visualizing the invisible- the magnetic field lines around a dipole bar magnet. In the presence of a magnetic field, ferromagnetic materials (such as iron) temporarily become magnets. Here the iron filings become dipole magnets and link up and align like tiny compass needles to follow and reveal the magnetic field lines associated with the permanent magnet underneath. Viscous silicone oil temporarily keeps the iron particles suspended yet allows for rotation and repositioning under the influence of the magnetic field.
Square Wave Horizon
Get this amazing sculpture here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Square Wave Horizon
See also: The Square Wave (Original)
Square Wave Horizon: a second incarnation of Ivan Black’s Square Wave interactive kinetic sculpture- in this version 20 interlocking right angle metal rods are mounted horizontally with accompanying base and grips at each end which allows one to rotate the structure to and fro. Waves propagate, folding the structure into a tight curl- and a reverse snap will bring it back to the initial flat square state. An important design feature is that each right angle rod is limited to move through about 45 degrees, and all through parallel axes, allowing for the beautiful rotational wave motion via a cascade of angular momentum transfer.
Tesla's Egg of Columbus
Get this amazing (and affordable) reproduction here:
From engineDIY: BUY NOW: Tesla's Egg of Columbus
This version comes with a 35mm solid aluminum sphere.
Get the aluminum phiTOP "egg" here: BUY NOW phiTOP
Tesla’s Egg of Columbus: an aluminum ellipsoid egg (PhiTOP) mysteriously spins and stands upright in this modern version of Tesla’s famous demonstration from the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago that first showcased the principles behind wireless power transfer and his AC induction motor. The base has no moving parts- instead special copper windings (very similar to Tesla’s original design) form four electromagnet coils on a circular steel core, and a special circuit supplies each with AC currents in such a way that a rotating magnetic field is created. This rotating magnetic field from the coils under the concave glass induces electric eddy currents to flow in the aluminum ellipsoid- these currents then create their own magnetic field which oppose the initial fields underneath and pushes the ellipsoid to spin. Finally, the ellipsoid top stands up vertically (when spun with sufficient rotational velocity) due to physics similar to that of the tippe-top.
Mini Acoustic Levitator
Get this inexpensive device here:
From EngineDIY: BUY NOW: Mini Acoustic Levitator
Mini Acoustic Levitator: small pieces of styrofoam become trapped between areas of higher pressure induced by high frequency sound waves. Ultrasonic transducers placed at the top and bottom are basically speakers that emit sound waves at a frequency of 43,000 Hz, which corresponds to a wavelength of 8mm for dry air. If the transducers are positioned just right standing waves are produce with nodes of low pressure at half wavelength intervals- and low mass objects like these foam pellets will be suspended against gravity when placed near one of these nodes. Here we see a stack of three pellets with a spacing of about 4mm which is the expected distribution of the nodes. To place the pellets into the sound stream without disrupting the standing waves this device comes with a small screen with a handle which allows the sound waves to flow through the holes in the mesh and trap piece of foam. Although the device uses sound it appears silent as the frequency used is way above that which humans can hear (20Hz to 20kHz).
Squirclusion (Square Circle Illusion)
Get this sculpture here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Squirclusion
Squirclusion (Square Circle Illusion): from one particular point of view this sculpture looks like a circle inside a square, from another, a square inside a circle- a matter of perspective! From other viewing angles one can make out that the underlying curves for each circle/square component are four identical segments of a parabola conjoined. Another reminder of how a single perspective can be misleading. This math sculpture is available as a 3D print, expertly designed and produced by Pyrigan Puzzles.
Bisected Tetrahedron
Available here:
From eBay: BUY NOW: Bisected Tetrahedron
Print your own with these files: Five Screw Puzzles
See the related Tirsected Cube Puzzle
Bisected Tetrahedron Puzzle: two identically shaped pieces interlock to form the famous four faced platonic solid in this ingenious dissection puzzle. The tetrahedron is sliced following a helical path along the 2-fold symmetry axis (middle of one edge to its opposite), creating a smooth disassembly, and a smooth but mildly challenging reassembly. Fun math today from puzzle maker, artist, and mathematician George Hart.
Oil Drop Timer
Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Drop Timer
Oil Drop Timer: immiscible liquids (typically, colored oils in kerosine) in two connected containers with interesting semi-translucent white and opaque black oils in this variation on the bubble timer theme. The oil in each container falls through a small drop forming hole in between clear walls of acrylic- note how surface tension forms the drops into nearly perfect circles and regulates the size of the drop formation. In addition the drops fall at terminal velocity with smaller drops falling faster than larger ones. One of my favorite inexpensive physics toys.
Perpetual Motion Simulator Marble Machine
Available here (in limited supply):
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Perpetual Marble Machine (reccomended seller)
Note: poorly designed knock-offs are being sold widely that are not at all the same device. If the price is less that $150 USD then it is not the same quality device and mechanism as shown here.
Perpetual Motion Simulator: this marble machine device does not break any laws of thermodynamics- but it sure looks like it! When I first saw videos of this piece of kinetic art I thought the effect was due to video editing, but in fact the base contains a power source and very clever mechanism (swipe twice for clue/partial reveal). An amazing piece of art by William Le expertly crafted from stainless steel wire, doussie hardwood, and undisclosed internal components.
Tenebrescence of Hackmanite
Get a sample here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Hackmanite Samples
You will also want a powerful UV flashlight:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: High Power UV Light
Tenebrescence: a property of the mineral hackmanite which temporarily changes color when exposed to UV light to a deep shade of violet- photochromism from a naturally occurring mineral! Similar physics to phosphorescence (glow in the dark) the purple color fades back to normal over about half an hour, and the mineral can be put into this excited state over and over again by the UV rays of the sun, or this high intensity UV flashlight. Also- hackmanite has a bright orange fluorescent glow under UV.
Bobile: Balance + Mobile
This vintage item often available here:
From eBay: BUY NOW: Bobile Balance Art Toy
Bobile: balance + mobile— all components have a skid resistant rubbery coating which provides for static friction to allow for many interesting configurations. I obtained this fun toy from the SF MoMA gift shop a few years back- made by Hog Wild Toys LLC where a blurb on the side of the packaging claims “Where the science of physics is applied to the creation of art”.
Rheoscopic Fluid Flow Toy
Get this toy (and two variations) here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: GooToobz Fluid Flow toy
Rheoscopic Fluid Flow Toy: this simple toy reveals the complexity of turbulent fluid flow as liquid travels between chambers through a series of bends. Compressing both chambers with equal pressure can temporarily halt the flow and show the lingering turbulence induced by the acceleration of the viscous fluid around the u-turn bends. Tiny flakes of mica are suspended in the fluid and these platelets reflect light only when the fluid motion brings them into a certain orientation. Oddly satisfying to the extreme.
Candle Powered Lava Lamp
This model available here:
From eBay: BUY NOW: Candle Powered Lava Lamp
Candle Powered Lava Lamp: a tea-light candle provides the illumination and the heat source in this newest incarnation of the famous lamp. The base and cap are glazed ceramic and it takes about one hour for the fluid motion to begin. The Lava Lamp is a kinetic art form with an amazing amount of physics on display: convective heat flow, Archimedes principle, surface tension (note how the smaller blobs form into spheres), and immiscible liquids to name just some of the science behind this famous device. Manufactured by Mathmos and invented in 1963 by Edward Walker of Dorset, England.
Magnetic Tensegrity Table
Available here:
From sphidget.com: BUY NOW: Magnetic Tensegrity Table
See similar scupltures here: Tensegrity on @physicsfun
Folow this link for Mova kinetic globes: Mova Globes- Earth and Planets
Magnetic Tensegrity Table: This CNC machined tensegrity sculpture replaces the center tension member (chain) with a pair of attracting neodymium magnets. Made from 6061 aluminum and nickel plated steel chain, the “Impossible Table” is the creation of Kevin Sayers of sphidget.com. The table can support up to about a kilogram of mass, and makes for a nice display stand for my Mova globe of Pluto (swipe to view). Another fun configuration of the tensegrity concept, invented by Kenneth Snelson and made famous by the architect Buckminster Fuller in 1949.
Liquid Xenon Ampule
Available here:
From Luciteria Science: BUY NOW: Liquid Xenon Ampule (make sure to select "Supercrtical" type)
Liquid Xenon Rapid Phase Change: this small sealed vial contains pure xenon gas at very high pressure- 65 atmospheres! When cooled to 16C (61F) the xenon gas undergoes a rapid phase change to liquid as seen here when the ampule is put in contact with the tip of an icicle. The video is shown in real time and the liquid xenon returns to gas within a few seconds and the process can be repeated indefinitely. The vial is made of fused quartz and kept small (3cm long) to be able to contain the high pressure environment which allows for such a high condensation temp (usually much colder at -108C).