ELECTROSTATIC LEVITATION

I got an e-mail from a gentleman named Nyle Steiner with a link to a video about combining
electrostatic levitation with walkalong gliding. Wow!
It was more electrostatic than aerodynamic, but it was still the coolest thing Ive seen for a long
time.
Id heard of electrostatic levitation before, but it always involved buying a kit or finding exactly
the right kind of tinsel or something. But Nyle was a kindred spirit who experimented to find
common, household materials to do the job. Then I checked out his non-commercial website of
science projects, particularly projects involving electricity, called
http://www.sparkbangbuzz.com/ . Its truly a labor of love, curiosity and genius--a reflection of
the man. Informally trained as an electronics engineer, Nyle turned down a job offer to play
steadily with the Utah Symphony, to build electronic prototypes in an engineering department. At
first he regretted the decision, later realized with all the experience gained hed made the right
decision. He designed and sold music synthesizers and invented the Electric Valve Instrument (or
electric trumpet). Playing it, he had a 20 year career scoring on Films such as Apocalypse Now,
Witness, Ghost, Dead Poets Society and many TV shows. You can see him playing starting at
about a minute into this video.
Now he tinkers with projects and shares them on his website.

Static electricity experiments have always been a bit capricious. The first time I tried electrostatic
levitation to my classes throughout the school day, with the first class it was a big hit. But when I
tried it with the second class it was a complete flop, just didnt work!

With the help of Nyles and other friends Ive learned a lot since that embarrassing day. Im going
to summarize some of the tried and true factors that will help insure your experiments and demos
go well. After that, I will just dump some discussion and speculation from e-mails for advanced
experimenters. Perhaps people with knowledge of such things will be able to inform us how we
can make the experience even better. I confess that I still know relatively little about static charge
except that its used in photocopy machines, clingy food wrap, some dust collection systems and
some spray paint systems. Sometimes it just seems kind of magic!
Hand Levitation
I got a cool e-mail from Stephan Voss and family His account of how he discovered it is here.
Chance favors the prepared mind--Louis Pasteur. May the Force be with you!
SUMMARY OF KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE STATIC ELECTRICITY EXPERIMENTS GO
BETTER
Humidity: There is always some water dissolved in air. When air cannot hold any more water it
starts to precipitate out, and you get fog and rain. Nyle Steiner lives in relatively dry Utah but he
did some experiments with a bathroom with a shower running. As the humidity rose, the
levitation degraded to almost nothing.
Rule of thumb: humidity is greater in the summer, air is drier in the winter, particularly in heated
buildings. That does not mean that you cant levitate in the summer, or indoors when its raining
weve done both. But experiment ahead before you put on that big show.
Theres one other pesky issue that occurred to me, the teacher. If youve got a couple of dozen
students huddled around your demonstration, youve got a couple dozen little humidifiers
respirating moisture into the air with each exhalation. I tried to perform a static demo in a
smallish room once. It worked great for 1 minute, then went completely deadjust as the kids
were getting excited and, I guess, breathing more.
You can use humidity to your advantage, as you will see in the next section about.
Reverse Charge: this is the most maddening thing thats happened to me. The plastic that I was
levitating touched the foam board. Suddenly, instead of repelling, the plastic clings like crazy.
Some people report they can just rub again and everythings all right, but it wasnt working on
my embarrassing day. But here are some things that seem to work. Nyle charged (rubbed) the
plastic on a sheet of aluminum foilsuch an easy way to remove variables in table top material.
I have repeated this. Words great and Ill never do it any other way.

Nyle also noticed and then confirmed through experimenting that printing ink on some plastic
bags can cause charge reversal problems. Dust or other stuff on the plastic or balloon could also
cause trouble.
Michael Thompson has experienced reverse charge, too. He breathes on it so the humidity
removes the charge, then rubs again.
Best Materials and Shapes: Nyle started it all off with a balloon at the bottom. Thomas
Buchwald, another friend is this group of experimenters, substituted bigger piece of rigid foam
insulation and I do have an easier time with that, particularly when the plastic shape being
levitated is big or slides around quickly.
At the top, Nyle uses plastic grocery bags. There might be some value in using the thinner
(lighter) clear little produce bags in grocery stores. Mike also levitates the very thin pieces of the
foam sheet that we make walkalong gliders from.
In addition to the shape in Nyles video, weve all tried various shapes. Rings are cool, repelling
to a circle. Mike suggests using a Mobius strip, exposing lots of frontal area in any direction. So
its more stable in flight than a plain ring, which can slip away.
Im having fun cutting out rectangles and squares out of the thinnest plastic I can find from
grocery produce areas, and cutting in peninsulas or fingersif you will. They too have great
flying stability plus they have unworldly tentacles that radiate out in all directions.

OOPS, it looks like someone already thought to cut lots of little legs into the plastic.

Heres a funny video that Thomas came across, in German, but anyone can understand it.
Theres a cool commercial static electricity science kit with a zillion cool experiments. People
might think I hate all commercial kid's products. To the contrary, I'm happy to point out when
something worthwhile comes along to distinquish it from all the junk. This product,is more
reliable, too, for static electriciy demonstrations, which can capriciously depend on humidity.
These are the people who make the Fun Fly Sticks that levitate things. I think there's more to be
learned from the science kit. You still get the levitation stick--actually a miniature Van de Graaff
generator! And you can see through to see the inner workings. My path crossed with these folks,
who related a bit of what it's like to be a small toy company of engineers, essentially swimming
among sharks. They went through the lengthily patent route and have to fend off low-quality
knock-offs.

HOW TO MAKE THE POPGUN

Note that some people who built this project have suggested variations, which I have included at the bottom
of the page.

What you need:

One foot of 1/2" diameter PVC plastic pipe
The pipe forms the outside of the popgun. Some hardware stores might sell it by the foot. From
other places, like building centers, you will have to buy 5 or 10 feet at a time. It is still little more
than a dollar for all 10 feet. PVC pipe is white. Do not get "CPVC" pipe, which is more
expensive and a tanish color. One more confusing thing: even on the inside, 1/2" diameter pipe is
actually bigger than 1/2" diameter. Go by what the writing says on the outside of the pipe, not by
actually measuring .

1/2" diameter wooden dowel

The dowel is for making the plunger, which you push into the pipe to compress the air. Also
available from hardware stores and building centers, it comes in either 3 foot or 4 foot long
pieces. You can get material for 2 popguns out of a 3' dowel or for 3 popguns out of a 4'
dowel.

Foam meat/vegetable packaging tray

This is for the plunger seal. Meat, poultry, small fruits and vegetables are put on these trays in
the grocery store and wrapped in clear plastic.

1" long (or the shortest available) drywall screw

The drywall screw holds the seal to the tip of the plunger. Hardware stores and building centers
with bulk, unpackaged screws will let you get just the one that you need, instead of having to buy
a box of them. The shorter it is, the easier it is to screw in.

Tape
Duct tape or electrical tape works best. You could use masking tape. Clear tape is the least
satisfactory, but ok in a pinch.

strong string, hacksaw blade, phillips-head screwdriver, scissors

The scissors should be adult size, not kid sized. You can use a hacksaw or just the cheap blade
without the frame.

Either a cork or a small piece of 1" to 2" thick styrofoam insulation

Alas, natural corks are getting harder to find, and the synthetic rubber ones don't work. Ask
around, though. You can easily make a substitute that is just as good if you get a small piece of
"closed-cell" styrofoam anywhere from 3/4" to 2" thick. Most people, even at a building center,
won't know what you mean by"closed-cell." Instead, refer to it as the kind of styrofoam used for
basement foundations under grade (underground). It's usually light blue or pink. Unfortunately,
the white "bead board" foam used to package electronic equipment does not work well.
Styrofoam is sold in sheets big enough to make several thousand corks. Usually building
supply/lumber yards sell damaged/ broken pieces cheap. If that doesn't pan out, do you have any
relatives, friends or neighbors who might have some left over from a construction project?
Finally, someone at a construction site might give you a scrap, especially if you make the rest of
popgun and show them how it works. Once you are aware of it, closed-cell foam is quite
ubiquitous.

Step 1
Cut the dowel and the PVC pipe.

If your wood dowel is 3' (36") long, cut into two 18" pieces. If your dowel is 4' long (48") you
can cut it into three 16" pieces if you're making three popguns. Use a hacksaw, or even just a
hacksaw blade to cut it.
Again with a hacksaw blade, cut a 1' (12") piece of PVC pipe. Make the cut as straight as
possible.

Step 2
Bevel the inside corner of pipe on one end.

This will probably be the hardest to understand step, although once you know how to do it, it will
only take a minute to do. Beveling the inside allows us to punch out perfectly sized seals (in step

3), punch out substitute "corks", and the slanting inside wall lets you get big corks in the popgun
that would otherwise get stuck on the inside edge.

We will use half of a pair of scissors to shave off the inside corner. That does not mean we will
take the scissors apart. It just means we'll use one of the pieces like a knife. I will refer to the one
part we use as a scissor (singular) from now on. Why not simply use a knife? Knives that are thin
enough to fit inside the pipe usually flex too much and they are sharpened at an angle that gets
stuck in the plastic. Scissors, on the other hand, are narrow, rigid, and sharpened to a much more
obtuse angle which shaves plastic without getting stuck.
Before starting, wrap about 6" of tape around the first 1/2" inch of one of the scissor points. You
will be levering the scissor against the pipe wall. If you don't wrap up the point, it will tear up the
inside of the pipe, which will cause air leakage. Note that you will using the the scissor as a
"second class lever" (more about levers in the "Exploring Popguns" page). With the taped point
jammed against the inside wall, and your hand exerting force on the handle, you can multiply the
force to the part of the scissor that is shaving down the inside edge.
When you have looked at all the text and illustrations in Step 2 and you have some idea of what
you need to do, push the taped-up point a bit into the pipe, and see if you can start scraping away
a bit of the inside edge with the sharp edge of the scissors. The taped tip might slip around. Keep
working with it. You know you're starting to get it when you see little curly bits of plastic in front
of the edge. People who machine metals and plastics call that curl a "chip."
Continue shaving away the inside edge until the inside is beveled to the outside edge.

Step 3
Punch out seals and assemble the plunger.

Using the beveled end of the pipe, it should be easy to punch circles out of the foam packaging
tray. These will be the seals which keep air from leaking out of the pipe. Put the foam tray on a
table and push the pipe down on it while at the same time twisting it. You need 3 circles.

Wrap tape (red in the illustration) around one end of a dowel, with the edge of the tape flush with
the edge of the dowel. Put as many wraps of tape as you can and yet still fit easily inside the
pipe. The illustration shows electrical tape. If you use duct tape it will be wider. The tape wrap
does two things: First, it keeps the dowel end from splitting open (or holds it together if it does)
when we do the next thing: screw the drywall screw into the end of the dowel. Second, it backs
up the seals in case the high-pressure air would blow them out.

Screw the drywall screw into the centers of the three round, foam seals. On the same end of the
dowel you just wrapped the tape, screw the drywall screw into the center end of the end of the
dowel. You might

want to tap the

screw in a little with a hammer to get it started. Rubbing a little soap or fat on the threads of the
screw make a little easier to screw in. Twist the screw in until it makes the first foam seal indent
a little.

Step 4
Finish the popgun
You could say that the popgun is finished at this point, but trust me: spending a few

minutes to keep the dowel

from pulling out the back all the time is well worth the effort. We will use string and tape to
make sure that about 3" of the plunger stays in the pipe.

Start by making a mark on the plunger 3" from the end with the foam seals. Next, put the end of
the dowel without seals into the beveled end of the pipe. When the dowel comes out the other
end of the pipe, pull the seals just into the pipe, but no further in. IMPORTANT: Never push the
seals into the pipe because they will get wrecked. Always pull them in.

With the seals still just inside the pipe, tape a piece of string to the dowel, right next to the other
end of the pipe. Tape near the end of the string, but let a couple of inches of string hang out.
Don't worry about the tape being wider than in the illustration if you use duct tape.
Now we are going to tape the other end of the string to the pipe so the dowel cannot come all the
way out. Pull the dowel out until you get to the mark you made 3" from the end. While keeping
that position, tape the other end of the string to the pipe,

making sure the string is tight. Once again, there should be a couple of inches of string hanging
out from the tape.

The reason we let a little bit of the string end hang out is that we are going to double it back over
the tape and tape it again. This makes it very hard to pull out. Do this both where the string is
taped to the dowel and to where the string is taped to the pipe. Where the string is taped to the
dowel, continue wrapping tape around there until the bulge is so big that it doesn't fit into the
pipe anymore. Congratulations! You have finished the popgun.

Step 5
Make a foam "cork."
This is easy and quick, just like when you punched out the foam seals, but with thicker pieces of
foam. Remember pull the dowel out of the way and to twist the pipe of the popgun as you push it
in. To get the foam out, you will have to pop the popgun. Make sure the dowel is pulled back as
far as the string will let it. Then push it forward as fast as you can. Kaboom! Getting the foam
back in again is easiest if you twist it while pushing it in.
If you already have a wine cork, you might have to bevel one end so it fits into the pipe. There
are two ways to do this. You can rub the end on rough concrete or you can cut the bevel with a
sharp knife. Again, you should twist it as you push it into the pipe. A tight-fitting cork is hard for
young kids to pop out. You might want to consider a foam cork for them.
Feedback from Chris Ehlers
One tip for your readers: search through copper fittings at the hardware
store. I found a T-fitting that is the perfect diameter to cut out the foam
seals (plus they are extremely cheap).

Feedback from Craig Miwa

I wanted to build some old style pop guns for my boys this weekend and used your website ideas for a basic plan
and they worked out great. I made a few small changes that worked out good for me.

1) I used a 1/2" PVC end cap, in which I bored a 5/8" hole for the rod
to go through. This makes the string unnecessary and keeps the kids
from pulling the plunger all the way out. I've also considered putting a
'T' at the base of the PVC as an easier to hold handle for the kids.
2) I used some 3/8" washers around the foam plunger on the dowel. It
makes the foam act more like a o ring I think at least it keeps it a
little stiffer.
3) This was cosmetic but I put little handles on the end of the plunger
so it was easier to hold. It also stops the kids from pushing the
plunger in too deep.
Something else I might do for younger kids is tie a string on the end of
the plunger and attatch it to the cork so it pops and then they just
cock it back and it pulls the cork back in ready to go. This way they
won't loose the cork too.

MORE ABOUT
AIR PRESSUREBack to the popgun
introduction page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
popguns and air pressure
Back to the science toymaker
home page.
click
here or
on the
I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
picture.
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

HOW TO MAKE THE VORTEX

Notice: the written and illustrated procedure below has been superceeded by a better way to do
it, as seen in the embedded video

two un-crushed, 2-liter soda bottles

Try to get bottles that have not been really crushed, because the dents that remain can interfere
with the spinning water.

1/2" diameter PVC plastic pipe.

It is our good fortune that very cheap and easy to find 1/2" PVC pipe fits snuggly inside 2-liter
bottles. When used to connect two bottles, the pipe keeps them from flopping around.
Some hardware stores might sell it by the foot (you only need 2 inches per project). From other
places, like building centers, you will have to buy 5 or 10 feet at a time. It is still little more than
a dollar for 10 feet. PVC pipe is white. Do not get "CPVC" pipe, which is more expensive and a
tanish color. One more confusing thing: 1/2" diameter pipe is actually bigger than 1/2". Go by
what it says on the pipe, not by actually measuring the diameter.

clear plastic food wrap

The only really challenging part of this project is making the bottles completely sealed--no leaks.
The best way to do it is with plastic wrap. By stretching the plastic tightly as it is wrapped
around the bottles, it seals very well.

electrical tape or duct tape or masking tape; scissors; hacksaw (or just a hacksaw
blade)
Duct tape is best. The hacksaw or hacksaw blade is for cutting the plastic pipe.

cold water, or refrigeration or ice or snow or cold weather to make it cold.

I know it seems a bit strange to be concerned about air and water temperature as we seal the two
bottles together. The reason behind it is quite interesting. I go into it more in the Activities and
Explanations page.
For building this project, you should know this much: It is important that the air and water in the
bottles be cold when they are being sealed. As the air warms up, it will expand a little. Because
it's trapped inside, the air pressure inside the bottles becomes a little higher than the air pressure
outside. That's good, because it keeps the bottles firm, just like the higher air pressure in a
bicycle tire keeps the tire from going flat.
Without the higher pressure inside, the bottles will dent a little. Because they are no longer
perfectly round, it's harder to make a good vortex. Fortunately, this is easy to prevent by keeping
things cool when sealing the bottles.

Step 1
Cut a 2" long piece of pipe.
PVC pipe is easy to cut and it only takes a few seconds. Even if you don't have a hacksaw frame,
you can cut with just a blade if you wrap a little tape around as a handle. Hack saws are much
safer than any other kind of saw.

I am a believer in letting even young kids participate as much as possible, so I offer this
illustration as a proven way kids (green hands) can do some sawing, while you (blue hands)
maintain control of the saw. Because of the way the pipe is supported on both ends, it doesn't
slide around.

Here you can see a fast and safe jig for cutting, made of a scrap of wood and 5 nails. The
hacksaw slides against two nails that automatically cut a 2" piece. It's worth making if you are
working with a group.
When you're done sawing, clean out the plastic "crud" that sticks to the end of the pipe where
you made the cut. Use your fingernail.

Step 2
Prepare the bottles for sealing.
These sub-steps don't have to be done in any particular order:

*Rinse out bottles.

*Peel off labels. Save a colorful piece for the next part.
*Cut some confetti from the plastic labels you just peeled off. They become tracers in the vortex
(they remind me of the house spinning around in the Wizard of Oz). No piece should be larger
than the finger nail on your pinky. Put the pieces into one of the bottles.
*Cut a piece of electrical tape 3" long, or cut duct tape into a a 3/4" slice, 3" long. Wrap it tightly
around the middle of the pipe. This tape will keep the pipe from falling into one bottle or the
other.
*Fill one bottle about 2/3 full of the coldest water you can get. For example, if there is a drinking
fountain with chilled water, it would be worth it to catch it in a cup and pour it into the bottle.
Alternately, you could but half a handful of crushed ice or snow in both bottles, or you could put
the bottles in the refrigerator or outside (if it's cold) for half an hour.
If the kids making the vortex are very young (kindergarten or first grade), only fill the bottle half
full. It will be easier to carry and easier to start the vortex.

Step 3
Just before you wrap.
Push the pipe into the filled bottle until it gets hard to push (because of the tape). Turn the other
bottle upside down and push it on the other side of the pipe. Push and twist it pretty hard so it
squishes some of the tape.
Just before sealing the bottles, turn them upside down so the empty bottle fills (a few drops of
water might leak out). This will cool the air inside. The top bottle will probably dent in a little,
which means the air in the system is contracting. Pull the bottles apart for an instant to let more
air in, so the bottle is not dented anymore. Do this just before sealing so the air doesn't have a
chance to warm up much.

Step 4
Seal the bottles together.

The key to sealing the bottles is to keep the plastic wrap tight as you wrap it on.
Take the roll out of the box and hold it in one hand. Start wrapping the end around the bottles
with the other hand. At some point, the wrapped part won't slip off even when you pull very
hard. You should notice the plastic stretching over the handles. That is where the seal will be
made. Wrap at least 10 tight wraps around the bottles. I know I'm repeating myself, but if you
don't apply the plastic under stretching tension, it won't seal.
Although the bottles should now be sealed, wrap some duct tape or electrical tape a few of times
around the plastic. This keeps it from unraveling, and it keeps the bottles from separating when
you lift by the top bottle.

Step 5
Use it!
Turn the bottles over. Grab the very top an swish it in a circular motion two or three times, then
stop suddenly. This will give the water enough circular momentum to create the vortex.
If the bottle dents, don't worry. It will fill out in a hour or so, as the water warms--if you sealed it
well. Until then, at the same time you swishing the top end in a circle to get the water moving,
squeeze the the bottom bottle. When the dent is on the bottom, it doesn't interfere with the
vortex.

MORE ABOUT
VORTECIES

Back to the vortex

introduction page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
vortices click here or on
theto the science toymaker
Back
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

EXPLORING THE VORTEX

Some cool web sites
There is lots of information on the internet about tornados and hurricanes. I particularly like this
one about tornados with its awesome pictures and interesting facts. Did you know that tornados
kill 60 people on average per year? But even in the most notorious area know as "Tornado
Alley", the chances of a tornado hitting any particular square mile is only about once in 700
years.
Also, check out the NOAA Photo Library. It is truly an amazing planet we live on.
This link has instructions for making a vortex exhibit with mist like those seen in museums.
This link is not about vortices per se, but it is about a really neat device that measures humidity
in the air using a human hair!

Why does the vortex form?

Let's start with the observation that sometimes it doesn't. Have you noticed that if you just turn
over the bottles without spinning the water, you get a bunch of bubbles as the water dribbles
from the upper bottle to the lower one. It is important to realize that there is something in both
bottles: water in one, air in the other. They awkwardly try to pass each other in the bottle
necks.
Once you start the water spinning, everything changes. According to Sir Isaac Newton's first law
of motion, the water will move in a straight line unless something changes its direction. The side
of the bottle constantly changes the direction of the water. The net effect is that the water pushes
itself against the wall of the bottle. Actually, the spinning air is also pushing toward the outside,
but being less dense, it is shoved into the center by the heavier water. Here is a simple illustration
of centripetal and centrifugal force. Click here and read the directions for an interactive java
simulation about centripetal force. And here is a discussion about why candle flames and helium
balloons act counterintuitively when subjected to centripetal force.
We see this centripetal force again and again in technology. Washing machines throw water out
of clothes during the spin cycle so less drying has to be done. Hospital labs analyze blood by
centrifuging it so hard that it separates into layers (milk/cream separators also work this way).
Beekeepers extract honey from the hexagonal wax cells with centrifugal spinning extractors.
Fighter jet pilots wear special suits to help keep the blood in their brains from being pushed into
their lower extremities during high-speed, banked turns. Those pilots can lose consciousness
when they "pull G's", so named because the force they withstand during sharp turns is measured
in multiples of regular gravitational force.
The heavy water, as it falls to a lower level, converts its potential energy to kinetic (moving)
energy. This process overcomes friction and keeps the whole thing going.
I believe the vortex is wider on top because there is less water pressure there. Further down the
greater water pressure squeezes the air to a narrower tube.
You will find that you can make the vortex rotate either way by the direction you spin it in. In
macro events like hurricanes, the direction is determined by the Coriolis effect.

So how does this relate to real tornados and hurricanes?

It's pretty easy to see that dense water in the top bottle will be drawn downward by gravity,
displacing the less-dense air in the bottom. It is harder to grasp the fact that cold, dry air is
heavier than moist, warm air. When a moisture laden weather system collides with a dry air
mass, the difference in density powers tornados and hurricanes. This is analogous to the way the
difference in density between the water on top and the air below powers our model tornado.
Remember when we cooled the air in the bottles before sealing them? We did it to keep the top
bottle from denting, but we can use the idea to demonstrate how cool air is denser than warm air.
Put a lid tightly on a soda bottle at room temperature. Then stick it in a freezer for one minute.

You will see the bottle dent. You have the same number of air molecules stuck in the bottle, and
they weigh the same. But now they are taking up less space. That's what density is about: how
much of something you have and how much space it takes up. The cold air is denser than the hot
air because the same amount takes up less space.

Why does the vortex spin faster at the bottom?

If you put little bits of plastic in your bottles before you sealed them, you might have noticed that
they seem to speed up as they get near the center of the bottle. I made a Flash animation of a
vortex to demonstrate this.
Here are some very well made videos by the people who make the Nova Science series on PBS.
The one entitled "Conservation of Angular Momentum" can also explain why the plastic goes
faster near the center.
To see what's going on, you have to differentiate two methods of measuring speed. Here is
another animation that will help you sort them out. Pressing the button switches from equal
revolutions per minute to equal distance per minute, and back. At the bottom of a vortex, if the
water is forced to spin in a tighter circle it must increase its rpm's (revolutions per minute) to
maintain the same speed!
I made a turntable that is big enough for people to spin on to events. I instruct kids to lie down on
their stomachs, stretch out so much of their mass (weight {sort of}) is far from the center of
rotation, and start themselves spinning. Then--without touching the ground-- they pull
themselves into the center. They seem to magically speed up, but of course the rpm's have to
increase to maintain the same mph (miles per hour). This is how ice skaters spin themselves into
a blur at the end of a routine. I first noticed it as a kid when I twisted myself up in a swing. By
leaning back and sticking my legs out I could slow down my spinning drastically.

Back to the vortex

introduction page.

Back to the science toymaker

home page.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know
what works and what needs clarification.
contact me

Circulation Motion and Centripetal Force

When an object is in circular motion, it need centripetal force.

A red ball is attached to a green cord (neglect its mass)
passing through a small hole in a friction less, horizontal table.
The red ball is initially orbiting in a circle of radius r with velocity v.
A black ball is tied to the other end of the green cord.
If it is in equilibrium,
the gravitational force of the black ball Fg = Mg ,
provides the centripetal force Fc needed.
Fc = m v2/r = m w2 r ( v=w*r )
Fg = Fc

i.e. Mg = m w2 r

1. Click the black ball and drag it up and down to change the radius r.
Click with left mouse button:
The size (mass) of black ball will change to keep the system in equilibrium.
Click with right mouse button:
The mass of black is the same. The system starts oscillation.
2. The torque acting on the red ball is zero since F is parallel to r.
The angular momentum of the red ball is a constant of the motion.

L = r m v = m r2 w = constant
When the radius r is changing,
centripetal force Fc = (rmv)2/(mr3)= L2/(mr3) changes ,too.
3. Click the right mouse button to pause, click it again to resume.
When the animation is suspended,
Click at the red ball and drag the mouse button to change its tangential vector,
and the mass of black ball will also change to keep in the same radius.
If you click the right mouse button and drag it up/down/left/right,
you can rotate the coordinate system.

4. Click trace check box to trace the trajectory,

Press Clean Button to clear the trace.
5. Parameters :
A short white arrow represents the velocity vector v = r w.
w : angular frequency
r : radius
Mg/m: Mg gravitation force for black ball,
m is the mass of red ball.

Your suggestions are highly appreciated! Please click hwang@phy03.phy.ntnu.edu.tw

AuthorGFu-Kwun Hwang, Dept. of physics, National Taiwan Normal University
Last modified : 06/13/2000 01:35:02

HOW TO WHISTLE AN ACORN CAP

Before you start:
You only use the cap of the acorn to whistle with--not the whole acorn. You will have to remove
a cap from the rest of an acorn. Although acorn whistling is simple once you have done it, you
will have to experiment at it a bit to learn it. Larger caps are easier to learn on, while smaller
ones seem to be slightly louder.

Step 1

Divide the acorn cap.

I don't mean chop it up, but mentally divide the acorn cap into 3 sections. The top section is what
you will see when holding the acorn. Notice that it is smaller than the bottom sections because
we divide from a point above the center of the acorn.

Step 2
Form a "Y" shape with your thumbs.
You will have to rotate your thumbs to get it. By holding your thumbs that way, you will hide the
bottom 2 sections, but see the top, triangular section.

Step 3

Hold the acorn.

Hold it between both thumbs and both pointer (index) fingers, as shown in the illustration. Make
the "Y" shape with your thumbs and position them to show only the small, top, triangular section
of the acorn.

Step 4
Make it whistle.
Constrict your lips a little and blow hard--just as if you were blowing out a candle that was 3 feet
away from you. The knuckles of your thumbs will rest right in between your lips. The thumb
knuckles won't get past your lips into your mouth, though, because your lips are pursed.
When you get it, you'll know it. You might have to play around a little with the following
variables:
*Rotate your wrists forward and backward to change the angle of the acorn slightly. You are
seeking a balance between part of the air stream curling around in the acorn cap while the rest of
the air rushes over the top edge.
*Vary the size of the triangle of acorn visible between your thumbs. Smaller usually works best
for me, but experiment.

MORE ABOUT
WHISTLES Back to the acorn whistle
introduction page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
whistles click here or on
the
Back
to the science toymaker
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

EXPLORING WHISTLES
Here is a great site all about whistles http://www.whistlemuseum.com/ Thanks Avner Strauss.

How do whistles work?

Typically whistles involve air streams that flutter against each other. Take the typical whistle
where the air rushes straight in and curls around. It has to break through an earlier part of of the
air stream to get out the top. This creates an unstable situation, with the air streams fighting for
dominance. They alternate thousands of times per second, creating high-pitched sound. If you
could see the air bursts, you would actually see thousands of tiny vortices (like tornados) dancing
around. The illustration in this link shows vortices being formed in a organ pipe.

News flash!
I said in the introduction page that I could not whistle with fingers in my mouth, but I found a
good, illustrated page by Steve Thompson that shows and tells how to do it. Because it's a
sponsoned Geocities link, there is a pop-up ad that my browser blocks. Most of the page is about
the double handed cooing whistle but there is also some pointers for shrill whistles as well.

Clay whistles
In Japan I bought some hand-made clay whistles shaped like doves. They make a beautiful, soft
sound. I just found a richly illustrated web site that tells how to make such clay whistles. I'm
going to try my hand at it when I get some time.

A straw whistle
http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/misc/whistle.html and here is a harder-to-make one out of wood.
http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/wood_carving/whistle.html Thanks to Erik Bell for the links.

Miscellaneous sites of interest:

Here is a bit about whistle history. Check out this steam whistle collector's site. This page has an
account of the invention of underwater whistles. Here are some sites that deal with principles of
sound. Shaku, physics classroom,

Whistling with a blade of grass:

http://www.discoverycentermuseum.org/experiments/271.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_17531_whistle-grass.html
http://nicholasacademy.com/scienceexperiment271grasswhistle.html
Thanks again to Erik.

Back to the acorn whistle

introduction page.

Back to the science toymaker

home page.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know
what works and what needs clarification.
contact me

MORE ABOUT POPGUNS AND AIR

PRESSURE
Popguns don't have to be powered by air pressure. Evil Genius Dr. Simon Monk has designed
lots of cool electronics projects, including a coil gun that uses magnetic repulsion instead of air
pressure. You can see it here http://www.dangerouslymad.com/sample-chapter
I have fond memories of a wooden popgun I had when I was a little kid. It helped me begin to
figure out what air pressure was all about. It looked just like this.
Popguns are cousins to reciprocating air and water pumps, as well as piston-type engines. In all
cases you have a cylinder with a high pressure side and a low pressure side. Whatever slides
back and forth in the cylinder has to form a seal with it so pressure doesn't leak past.
In gasoline engines the task is accomplished with at least two rings which fit into machined
groves in the piston. They spring out gently against the sides of the cylinder, as indicated by
green in the cutaway illustration (the third purple ring is for oil). When the rings get worn out,
the engine becomes weak and inefficient because some of the pressure blows by the rings instead
of pushing on the piston.

For air and water pumps a cup-shaped piece of leather (red in the cutaway illustration) often
makes the seal. It cleverly uses high-pressure air or water to push the leather against the cylinder
wall. The higher the pressure that must be contained, the harder the leather seal is pressed.
Here is a link about an air pump modified for the rigors of pumping up water rockets. It has a
picture that clearly shows the leather cup. The rest of this Bigfoot site is interesting as well.
The "POP" of a popgun comes from the sudden release of air pressure, which causes a shock
wave.

Back to the popgun

introduction page.

Back to the science toymaker

home page.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know
what works and what needs clarification.
contact me

HOW TO MAKE THE TIGHTROPE

ACROBATS
What you need:
plastic utility pulleys (for dog lines)
Smooth wheels are hard to make unless you have a machine called a lathe. So this design uses 2
"off the shelf" pulleys. They are sold in building centers (cheapest) and pet stores to tether dogs
to an overhead line, giving them lots of room to run without entanglement. Try to find something
pretty close in shape to the illustration, or you will have to modify the bicycle design.
I got the cheapest, smallest one I could find. If the part that sticks out from the wheel is much
wider than 1", you can photocopy and enlarge the pattern until it fits.

Nails for weight

It is the weights --positioned below the string-- that make the bicycle balance. I use big nails
because they are readily available and cheap. The size of nails is denoted by the somewhat
archaic "penny." For one project I get 16 twenty-penny common nails (about 2/3 of a
pound).

2 half-gallon milk cartons or poster board or cereal boxes.

Milk carton material is quite stiff, but you have to scuff up the surface where glue will stick to it.
You should also scuff it before painting. You can use poster board or cereal boxes instead, though
you might have to add layers to the acrobats for greater rigidity.

duct tape or electrical tape

The tape will attach the nails to the bar (coat hanger). It will also cover the nails. Both duct tape
and electrical tape come in a variety of colors.

Pliers, scissors, string, metal coat hanger, glue gun and glue sticks, sandpaper (if
using milk cartons)

Step 1
Start making the bicycle frame.
Click here and print out the pattern. Check the printed paper to make sure it did not re-scale the
size of the pattern. If it says something like, "Scaled-60%" try another browser. Netscape seems
to be the worst at re-scaling. Remember, though, the pattern might have to be re-scaled
depending what size pulley you have. Use rolled tape "donuts" to stick the pattern in several
places to the milk carton or other cardboard. Cut out on the solid lines. Take care not to cut on
the dashed lines.
Fold on the dashed lines instead. Remove the paper pattern and fold into the three dimensional
shape shown. Carefully glue it with the hot glue gun so it stays together. Be careful. Hot glue
comes out hotter than boiling water. As you press the tab to the body to adhere it, the hot glue
might squeeze out and drip .
If using milk carton, scuff up the areas that will be glued, with sandpaper.

Step 2
Glue in the wheels and strengthen the frame.

Glue the pulleys in with plenty of hot glue, as shown. Make sure the wheel does not rub against
the body. Continue to coat the entire inside of the frame with it, too. The glue becomes a
structural component as well as adhesive. You need this extra strength because the frame takes a
huge amount of stress. Be patient when applying the glue. If you apply too much at once it drips
all over. Apply a little, then do something else for awhile while it cools, before putting more
on.

Step 3
Attach the bar.

With the pliers, untwist the neck of the coat hanger and straighten it out as best you can. You can
find the middle of it by measuring or just balance it on your finger. At that middle point, put
some kind of bend in the wire. I know it can be hard to bend such thick wire, but it needs to be

done to keep the

wire from

rotating (even inside the glue), which will keep it from doing its job when the the weights go on.

Trust me on this.
It is important that the bends be within an area the size of the the top of the bicycle body (shown
as orange in the illustration).
Glue the middle of the wire onto the top of the bicycle frame, with the bend flat against the
cardboard.

Step 4
Attach the weights
Bundle 8 of the big nails together. Hold them together with some electrical or duct tape. Push
one end of the coat hanger wire into the middle of the bundle of nails. Then wrap more tape
around the nails and also around the coat hanger so they stay together.

Step 5
Cut out and attach the acrobats.
Click here and print the page of four acrobat patterns. Unfortunately, people using the Netscape
browser are finding it is re-scaling the size of the patterns. Explorer and Mozilla seem to be OK,
but check to make sure the print out doesn't say anything like "Scaled-84%." Rough (bubble) cut
the figures out. Stick these patterns to the cardboard (milk carton or other) with tape donuts and
cut them out. Remove the patterns.

I make the bottom acrobat double layer so it's a stronger base for the two top acrobats. I just stick
them together with hot glue. Next lay out the three acrobats. If you are using milk carton, scuff
with sandpaper the parts that overlap so the glue will stick.
Glue the bottom acrobat onto the cycle at the head and the two hands. Using permanent colored
markers is the easiest way to decorate the acrobats. You could glue some white paper to the print
side of milk carton first before decorating. If you paint the milk carton, the paint will stick better
if you scuff it first.
Because making the adjustments to make the acrobats to balance is inexorably tied up with why
it works, all of that information is on the MORE ABOUT BALANCE page.

MORE ABOUT
BALANCE Back to the tightrope
acrobats page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
whistles click here or on
the
Back
to the science toymaker
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

HOW TO MAKE THE TIGHTROPE

ACROBATS
What you need:
plastic utility pulleys (for dog lines)

Smooth wheels are hard to make unless you have a machine called a lathe. So this design uses 2
"off the shelf" pulleys. They are sold in building centers (cheapest) and pet stores to tether dogs
to an overhead line, giving them lots of room to run without entanglement. Try to find something
pretty close in shape to the illustration, or you will have to modify the bicycle design.
I got the cheapest, smallest one I could find. If the part that sticks out from the wheel is much
wider than 1", you can photocopy and enlarge the pattern until it fits.

Nails for weight

It is the weights --positioned below the string-- that make the bicycle balance. I use big nails
because they are readily available and cheap. The size of nails is denoted by the somewhat
archaic "penny." For one project I get 16 twenty-penny common nails (about 2/3 of a
pound).

2 half-gallon milk cartons or poster board or cereal boxes.

Milk carton material is quite stiff, but you have to scuff up the surface where glue will stick to it.
You should also scuff it before painting. You can use poster board or cereal boxes instead, though
you might have to add layers to the acrobats for greater rigidity.

duct tape or electrical tape

The tape will attach the nails to the bar (coat hanger). It will also cover the nails. Both duct tape
and electrical tape come in a variety of colors.

Pliers, scissors, string, metal coat hanger, glue gun and glue sticks, sandpaper (if
using milk cartons)

Step 1
Start making the bicycle frame.
Click here and print out the pattern. Check the printed paper to make sure it did not re-scale the
size of the pattern. If it says something like, "Scaled-60%" try another browser. Netscape seems
to be the worst at re-scaling. Remember, though, the pattern might have to be re-scaled
depending what size pulley you have. Use rolled tape "donuts" to stick the pattern in several
places to the milk carton or other cardboard. Cut out on the solid lines. Take care not to cut on
the dashed lines.
Fold on the dashed lines instead. Remove the paper pattern and fold into the three dimensional
shape shown. Carefully glue it with the hot glue gun so it stays together. Be careful. Hot glue
comes out hotter than boiling water. As you press the tab to the body to adhere it, the hot glue
might squeeze out and drip .

If using milk carton, scuff up the areas that will be glued, with sandpaper.

Step 2
Glue in the wheels and strengthen the frame.
Glue the pulleys in with plenty of hot glue, as shown. Make sure the wheel does not rub against
the body. Continue to coat the entire inside of the frame with it, too. The glue becomes a
structural component as well as adhesive. You need this extra strength because the frame takes a
huge amount of stress. Be patient when applying the glue. If you apply too much at once it drips
all over. Apply a little, then do something else for awhile while it cools, before putting more
on.

Step 3
Attach the bar.

With the pliers, untwist the neck of the coat hanger and straighten it out as best you can. You can
find the middle of it by measuring or just balance it on your finger. At that middle point, put
some kind of bend in the wire. I know it can be hard to bend such thick wire, but it needs to be

done to keep the

wire from

rotating (even inside the glue), which will keep it from doing its job when the the weights go on.

Trust me on this.
It is important that the bends be within an area the size of the the top of the bicycle body (shown
as orange in the illustration).
Glue the middle of the wire onto the top of the bicycle frame, with the bend flat against the
cardboard.

Step 4
Attach the weights
Bundle 8 of the big nails together. Hold them together with some electrical or duct tape. Push
one end of the coat hanger wire into the middle of the bundle of nails. Then wrap more tape
around the nails and also around the coat hanger so they stay together.

Step 5
Cut out and attach the acrobats.
Click here and print the page of four acrobat patterns. Unfortunately, people using the Netscape
browser are finding it is re-scaling the size of the patterns. Explorer and Mozilla seem to be OK,
but check to make sure the print out doesn't say anything like "Scaled-84%." Rough (bubble) cut
the figures out. Stick these patterns to the cardboard (milk carton or other) with tape donuts and
cut them out. Remove the patterns.

I make the bottom acrobat double layer so it's a stronger base for the two top acrobats. I just stick
them together with hot glue. Next lay out the three acrobats. If you are using milk carton, scuff
with sandpaper the parts that overlap so the glue will stick.
Glue the bottom acrobat onto the cycle at the head and the two hands. Using permanent colored
markers is the easiest way to decorate the acrobats. You could glue some white paper to the print
side of milk carton first before decorating. If you paint the milk carton, the paint will stick better
if you scuff it first.
Because making the adjustments to make the acrobats to balance is inexorably tied up with why
it works, all of that information is on the MORE ABOUT BALANCE page.

MORE ABOUT
BALANCE Back to the tightrope
acrobats page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
whistles click here or on
the
Back
to the science toymaker
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

HOW TO MAKE THE TIGHTROPE

ACROBATS
What you need:
plastic utility pulleys (for dog lines)
Smooth wheels are hard to make unless you have a machine called a lathe. So this design uses 2
"off the shelf" pulleys. They are sold in building centers (cheapest) and pet stores to tether dogs

to an overhead line, giving them lots of room to run without entanglement. Try to find something
pretty close in shape to the illustration, or you will have to modify the bicycle design.
I got the cheapest, smallest one I could find. If the part that sticks out from the wheel is much
wider than 1", you can photocopy and enlarge the pattern until it fits.

Nails for weight

It is the weights --positioned below the string-- that make the bicycle balance. I use big nails
because they are readily available and cheap. The size of nails is denoted by the somewhat
archaic "penny." For one project I get 16 twenty-penny common nails (about 2/3 of a
pound).

2 half-gallon milk cartons or poster board or cereal boxes.

Milk carton material is quite stiff, but you have to scuff up the surface where glue will stick to it.
You should also scuff it before painting. You can use poster board or cereal boxes instead, though
you might have to add layers to the acrobats for greater rigidity.

duct tape or electrical tape

The tape will attach the nails to the bar (coat hanger). It will also cover the nails. Both duct tape
and electrical tape come in a variety of colors.

Pliers, scissors, string, metal coat hanger, glue gun and glue sticks, sandpaper (if
using milk cartons)

Step 1
Start making the bicycle frame.
Click here and print out the pattern. Check the printed paper to make sure it did not re-scale the
size of the pattern. If it says something like, "Scaled-60%" try another browser. Netscape seems
to be the worst at re-scaling. Remember, though, the pattern might have to be re-scaled
depending what size pulley you have. Use rolled tape "donuts" to stick the pattern in several
places to the milk carton or other cardboard. Cut out on the solid lines. Take care not to cut on
the dashed lines.
Fold on the dashed lines instead. Remove the paper pattern and fold into the three dimensional
shape shown. Carefully glue it with the hot glue gun so it stays together. Be careful. Hot glue
comes out hotter than boiling water. As you press the tab to the body to adhere it, the hot glue
might squeeze out and drip .
If using milk carton, scuff up the areas that will be glued, with sandpaper.

Step 2
Glue in the wheels and strengthen the frame.
Glue the pulleys in with plenty of hot glue, as shown. Make sure the wheel does not rub against
the body. Continue to coat the entire inside of the frame with it, too. The glue becomes a
structural component as well as adhesive. You need this extra strength because the frame takes a
huge amount of stress. Be patient when applying the glue. If you apply too much at once it drips
all over. Apply a little, then do something else for awhile while it cools, before putting more
on.

Step 3
Attach the bar.

With the pliers, untwist the neck of the coat hanger and straighten it out as best you can. You can
find the middle of it by measuring or just balance it on your finger. At that middle point, put
some kind of bend in the wire. I know it can be hard to bend such thick wire, but it needs to be

done to keep the

wire from

rotating (even inside the glue), which will keep it from doing its job when the the weights go on.

Trust me on this.
It is important that the bends be within an area the size of the the top of the bicycle body (shown
as orange in the illustration).
Glue the middle of the wire onto the top of the bicycle frame, with the bend flat against the
cardboard.

Step 4
Attach the weights
Bundle 8 of the big nails together. Hold them together with some electrical or duct tape. Push
one end of the coat hanger wire into the middle of the bundle of nails. Then wrap more tape
around the nails and also around the coat hanger so they stay together.

Step 5
Cut out and attach the acrobats.
Click here and print the page of four acrobat patterns. Unfortunately, people using the Netscape
browser are finding it is re-scaling the size of the patterns. Explorer and Mozilla seem to be OK,
but check to make sure the print out doesn't say anything like "Scaled-84%." Rough (bubble) cut
the figures out. Stick these patterns to the cardboard (milk carton or other) with tape donuts and
cut them out. Remove the patterns.

I make the bottom acrobat double layer so it's a stronger base for the two top acrobats. I just stick
them together with hot glue. Next lay out the three acrobats. If you are using milk carton, scuff
with sandpaper the parts that overlap so the glue will stick.
Glue the bottom acrobat onto the cycle at the head and the two hands. Using permanent colored
markers is the easiest way to decorate the acrobats. You could glue some white paper to the print
side of milk carton first before decorating. If you paint the milk carton, the paint will stick better
if you scuff it first.
Because making the adjustments to make the acrobats to balance is inexorably tied up with why
it works, all of that information is on the MORE ABOUT BALANCE page.

MORE ABOUT
BALANCE Back to the tightrope
acrobats page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
whistles click here or on
the
Back
to the science toymaker
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

HOW TO MAKE THE TIGHTROPE

ACROBATS
What you need:
plastic utility pulleys (for dog lines)

Smooth wheels are hard to make unless you have a machine called a lathe. So this design uses 2
"off the shelf" pulleys. They are sold in building centers (cheapest) and pet stores to tether dogs
to an overhead line, giving them lots of room to run without entanglement. Try to find something
pretty close in shape to the illustration, or you will have to modify the bicycle design.
I got the cheapest, smallest one I could find. If the part that sticks out from the wheel is much
wider than 1", you can photocopy and enlarge the pattern until it fits.

Nails for weight

It is the weights --positioned below the string-- that make the bicycle balance. I use big nails
because they are readily available and cheap. The size of nails is denoted by the somewhat
archaic "penny." For one project I get 16 twenty-penny common nails (about 2/3 of a
pound).

2 half-gallon milk cartons or poster board or cereal boxes.

Milk carton material is quite stiff, but you have to scuff up the surface where glue will stick to it.
You should also scuff it before painting. You can use poster board or cereal boxes instead, though
you might have to add layers to the acrobats for greater rigidity.

duct tape or electrical tape

The tape will attach the nails to the bar (coat hanger). It will also cover the nails. Both duct tape
and electrical tape come in a variety of colors.

Pliers, scissors, string, metal coat hanger, glue gun and glue sticks, sandpaper (if
using milk cartons)

Step 1
Start making the bicycle frame.
Click here and print out the pattern. Check the printed paper to make sure it did not re-scale the
size of the pattern. If it says something like, "Scaled-60%" try another browser. Netscape seems
to be the worst at re-scaling. Remember, though, the pattern might have to be re-scaled
depending what size pulley you have. Use rolled tape "donuts" to stick the pattern in several
places to the milk carton or other cardboard. Cut out on the solid lines. Take care not to cut on
the dashed lines.
Fold on the dashed lines instead. Remove the paper pattern and fold into the three dimensional
shape shown. Carefully glue it with the hot glue gun so it stays together. Be careful. Hot glue
comes out hotter than boiling water. As you press the tab to the body to adhere it, the hot glue
might squeeze out and drip .

If using milk carton, scuff up the areas that will be glued, with sandpaper.

Step 2
Glue in the wheels and strengthen the frame.
Glue the pulleys in with plenty of hot glue, as shown. Make sure the wheel does not rub against
the body. Continue to coat the entire inside of the frame with it, too. The glue becomes a
structural component as well as adhesive. You need this extra strength because the frame takes a
huge amount of stress. Be patient when applying the glue. If you apply too much at once it drips
all over. Apply a little, then do something else for awhile while it cools, before putting more
on.

Step 3
Attach the bar.

With the pliers, untwist the neck of the coat hanger and straighten it out as best you can. You can
find the middle of it by measuring or just balance it on your finger. At that middle point, put
some kind of bend in the wire. I know it can be hard to bend such thick wire, but it needs to be

done to keep the

wire from

rotating (even inside the glue), which will keep it from doing its job when the the weights go on.

Trust me on this.
It is important that the bends be within an area the size of the the top of the bicycle body (shown
as orange in the illustration).
Glue the middle of the wire onto the top of the bicycle frame, with the bend flat against the
cardboard.

Step 4
Attach the weights
Bundle 8 of the big nails together. Hold them together with some electrical or duct tape. Push
one end of the coat hanger wire into the middle of the bundle of nails. Then wrap more tape
around the nails and also around the coat hanger so they stay together.

Step 5
Cut out and attach the acrobats.
Click here and print the page of four acrobat patterns. Unfortunately, people using the Netscape
browser are finding it is re-scaling the size of the patterns. Explorer and Mozilla seem to be OK,
but check to make sure the print out doesn't say anything like "Scaled-84%." Rough (bubble) cut
the figures out. Stick these patterns to the cardboard (milk carton or other) with tape donuts and
cut them out. Remove the patterns.

I make the bottom acrobat double layer so it's a stronger base for the two top acrobats. I just stick
them together with hot glue. Next lay out the three acrobats. If you are using milk carton, scuff
with sandpaper the parts that overlap so the glue will stick.
Glue the bottom acrobat onto the cycle at the head and the two hands. Using permanent colored
markers is the easiest way to decorate the acrobats. You could glue some white paper to the print
side of milk carton first before decorating. If you paint the milk carton, the paint will stick better
if you scuff it first.
Because making the adjustments to make the acrobats to balance is inexorably tied up with why
it works, all of that information is on the MORE ABOUT BALANCE page.

MORE ABOUT
BALANCE Back to the tightrope
acrobats page.

For explanations, activities

and cool links related to
whistles click here or on
the
Back
to the science toymaker
home page.
picture.

I'd like to know how this project goes for you. I'm happy to answer questions
about it. Feedback from you is an important way for me to know what works and
what needs clarification.
contact me

Welcome to Air Surfing (AKA Walkalong Gliding)!

Gallery of people like you air-surfing.
Where to buy thin foam or DIY.
Links to all patterns here.
If you are teaching a group how to fly here are some ideas.
History of air-surfing .
Walkalong glider bio-mimicry.

Hang gliders stay up the same way, here's how. Alternate SchoolTube link.
Back to the sciencetoymaker main page

It looks like magic! Un-powered gliders are levitated and controlled without any visible means of
support. Is it magnetism? Static electricity? Its a science mystery waiting to be explored. The
concept of Walkalong flight has been known among creative aerospace scientists for a
generation, yet it remains the coolest thing youve never seen. Now, a handful of people around
the world are collaborating to make air surfing accessibleespecially to students.
Air surfing is not expensive. You will have to follow directions at first and practice, but its no
more difficult than, say, learning to cook. And like cooking, once you learn the basics there are
endless possibilities for creative innovation.
GETTING STARTED
To get started flying yourself, here are 3 glider designs that are good to start with. Click on the
name or the picture.

With the
Spinny
Bug, you
get two
tumbling
gliders
out of
each
piece of
foam.
They are
the
easiest to
make and
slowest
flying
perfect
for
crowded
house; a
bit tricky
to launch
at first..
Click
here or
the
picture.

The
Thompso
n
Jagwing
is also a
good
design to
start
with.
Invented
by
college
student
Michael
Thompso
n, its
easy to
build and
has great
turn and
pitch
stability.
Click
here or
the
picture.

PAPER VS. FOAM

The Baby
Bug is so
efficient
that you
might
learn to
fly with
only
hands or
head
deflectin
g air. Its
a little
more
challengi
ng to
adjust,
but from
the scrap
from
foam
sheet you
can make
two more
good
flying
gliders.
Click
here.

You need thin-sliced foam for these beginning designs. At first, everybody wants to use familiar
paper, but paper is much heavier and difficult to work withnot a good choice for starting out
with. You can buy the thin-sliced foam for as little as 25 cents a sheet. Or if youre handy, make
it yourself. Ive said that paper is difficult and heavy. It becomes limp and useless in humid
weather, but if you are determined that you must use paper, here is a paper design to try. This
video explains why I started woth paper gliders, but switched to foam.
ADVANCED AIR SURFING

Once you are flying, there are so many directions to go with it. You can learn how to fly with
only your hands or head deflecting the air. That really looks like science fiction! Use the Force!
Some of my students have learned to engage in aerial combat: dogfighting, three dimensional
jousting.
OTHER DESIGNS

The Mama Bug is a much

larger, advanced design (seen
here compared to smaller

gliders). The Mama Bug has a

35 cm wing span. Bigger
gliders are actually more
efficient flyers and they work
well for both new pilots and
advanced (hands-only flight,
aerial combat). Building the
Mama Bug is similar to the
Baby Bug, but it's 2 pieces of
foam taped together. That's
the tricky part. Click here or
on the picture.

You can also unleash your engineering and artistic self by designing new air-surf flying
creatures. Bio-mimicry is imitating biological life forms, and you can dream up some whimsical
creations. Here is what some people are creating.
WALKALONG GLIDER HISTORY AND NEW DIRECTIONS
Like all good science discovery stories, walkalong gliding history is full of people with
unconventional ways of looking at the world, catastrophic and fortuitous accidents, serendipitous
insights, cross-pollination, community and collaboration. Air surfing history is here and you can
see interviews with the historical innovators here. And you can see links to YouTube videos of
other people doning interesting things with walkalong gliders.

Contact