The Candle Seesaw
| Polish version is here |
This is one of the simplest experiments you can try. However, the effect is so fascinating that it’s well worth the effort.
Materials
You will need:
- A candle
- A large needle
- Two glasses
The candle must be prepared so that it can be lit from both ends at the same time. To do this, carefully pierce the candle at its midpoint with a needle. Once placed on two glasses, the candle should be able to swing freely. It should look something like this:
Light both ends of the candle at the same time. After a short time, you will notice the oscillations growing in amplitude. You can see the effect in the video below:
Explanation
What causes this motion? The oscillations are the result of shifting the center of mass. The flame melts the paraffin, which drips down as liquid wax. As the heavier end tilts downward, more wax melts and drips away. As this end loses mass, the balance shifts, and the opposite end becomes heavier, leading to a cyclical seesaw motion.
Have fun experimenting!
Literatura dodatkowa:
- Uicker J., Pennock G., Shigley J., Theory of Machines and Mechanisms (4th ed.), Oxford University Press, 2010
Marek Ples