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Infinity Cube Lamp: parallel partially mirrored panes create the illusion of depth through the physics of reflection. This nicely constructed lamp utilizes precise geometry and ceramic LEDs provide the illumination to create a wonderful illusion of depth. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this infinity lamp and many other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physicstoy #reflection #cube #infinitymirror #portal

646 11

10 hours ago

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Vintage Lenticular Disks: kinetic images such as these are comprised of an array of thin cylindrical lenses placed over interlaced multiple images so that each eye sees a different view creating a perception of motion. A vintage 1970s vari-view flicker lenticular. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get the many of the amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #lensarray #cylindricallens #optics #physicstoy #lenticular

849 2

1 day ago

$Color Flame Birthday Candle Physics: the colored parts of these candle flames are due to excitation of specific chemical elements mixed into the wax. When viewed through a diffraction grating some of the prominent emission frequencies (electrons jumping between quantum energy levels) can be seen as “ghost” images to the side as the grating separates the light into the spectrum emitted by each flame. Most notably the yellow candle has a strong yellow/orange emission line from sodium, the red candle has similarly strong red and orange lines from strontium, and the blue and green candles have a bunch of overlapping violet/blue/green lines from copper and probably potassium. Note that glowing tip of the wick creates a thin line of the full continuous spectrum. Diffraction gratings- physics fun party favors! ️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get these candles, diffraction gratings, and many more amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #diffraction #physicstoy #colorflame #emmisionspectrum #quantumjump$

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Color Flame Birthday Candle Physics: the colored parts of these candle flames are due to excitation of specific chemical elements mixed into the wax. When viewed through a diffraction grating some of the prominent emission frequencies (electrons jumping between quantum energy levels) can be seen as “ghost” images to the side as the grating separates the light into the spectrum emitted by each flame. Most notably the yellow candle has a strong yellow/orange emission line from sodium, the red candle has similarly strong red and orange lines from strontium, and the blue and green candles have a bunch of overlapping violet/blue/green lines from copper and probably potassium. Note that glowing tip of the wick creates a thin line of the full continuous spectrum. Diffraction gratings- physics fun party favors! ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get these candles, diffraction gratings, and many more amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #diffraction #physicstoy #colorflame #emmisionspectrum #quantumjump

1,931 2

2 days ago

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Hologram Necklace: it’s all unicorns and rainbows plus sparkle with this newly released dichromated gelatin hologram. The DCG technique produces some of the most vivid colors in holograms, but still needs a well positioned light source to bring out the full image. Astonishing physics of constructive and deconstructive interference of light. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this hologram necklace and other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physics #physicstoy #hologram #holographic #interference optics

848 7

3 days ago

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Floating Hourglass Puzzle: famous physics puzzle- why does the hourglass not start rising right away? The glass only ascends after about half of the sand has transferred to the lower bulb. The hourglass is a normal glass timer, it is submersed in plain water, and the main tube has an inner diameter which is at least 5mm larger than the diameter of the glass. A simple physics property of the hourglass changes and explains this behavior. I’ll post the answer in a few days. Another puzzle made famous by Martin Gardner.⏳ ➡️Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get many of the amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physicstoy #physicspuzzle #buoyancy #gravity #friction

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4 days ago

$Birefringence in Calcite: elegant rhombohedral crystals like this one form naturally, and notice that two images are seen when looking through it. The speed of light in a calcite crystal depends on polarization- the refractive index is different depending on the polarization orientation of the light transmitted through it. As a polarizing filter is rotated 90 degrees, one image appears and the other vanishes, showing that the polarization orientation of the light of the two images is indeed perpendicular. ️ Follow the link in my profile to find where to get crystals like this one and many other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #calcite #birefringence #polarizer #physicstoy #indexofrefraction$

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Birefringence in Calcite: elegant rhombohedral crystals like this one form naturally, and notice that two images are seen when looking through it. The speed of light in a calcite crystal depends on polarization- the refractive index is different depending on the polarization orientation of the light transmitted through it. As a polarizing filter is rotated 90 degrees, one image appears and the other vanishes, showing that the polarization orientation of the light of the two images is indeed perpendicular. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile to find where to get crystals like this one and many other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #calcite #birefringence #polarizer #physicstoy #indexofrefraction

2,069 12

5 days ago

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Solenoid Magnetic Accelerator: six electromagnet coils push a steel ball to terminal velocity. Each coil is triggered to briefly energized only when an infrared led and sensor circuit detects the presence of the ball. The steel ball’s speed seems limited by the strength of the temporary magnetic field and the friction it encounters from the track. This ring configuration demonstrates proof of concept for a means of accelerating steel marbles and I hope to incorporate these coils in other marble run designs. Uses a 12V power supply. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for information on where to get this cyclotron accelerator and many other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #electromagnet #emf #physicstoy #accelerator #electromagnetism

1,402 8

6 days ago

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Solar Souvenir: some physics found in the gift shop- a photovoltaic cell powers a small coil in the base that is pulsed on and off creating a magnetic field that pushes a magnet on the pendulum- setting the shuttle into motion when sufficiently lit. From a recent trip to Los Angeles. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for more info and where to obtain the amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #solarmotor #solarcell #magneticfield #physicstoy #desktoy

502 1

7 days ago

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Chaotic Coupled Rotors: here’s a favorite from my archive of vintage desk toys, one that demonstrates kinetic energy being passed back and forth chaotically vis interaction of magnets (mounted on the ends of the spines) that repel. This toy was marketed under the name Magnetron and sold in the Natural Wonders shops in the 1990s-sometimes available on eBay. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get many of the amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physicstoy #chaos #chaoticmotion #kineticsculpture #kineticart

2,552 10

8 days ago

$Pixeluxe Pixel Crystal: pixelate anything as you view the world through this hand held optical device. Made of optical quality glass, the geometry is that of two concave cylindrical lenses, one on each side, and set at 90 degrees to each other- this shrinks the image as any concave lens would do. Pixelation is achieved by constructing the curves out of 16 long skinny facets across the 36 mm width, producing the 16-bit resolution effect. My color lithophane of a famous physicist serves as my first object to pixelate. A fun new optical toy in my collection. ️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this and other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physics #physicstoy #optics #physicsfun #additiveoptics opticalelements cylindicallens pixelate 16bit facetedlens refraction lightrays science scienceisawesome$

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Pixeluxe Pixel Crystal: pixelate anything as you view the world through this hand held optical device. Made of optical quality glass, the geometry is that of two concave cylindrical lenses, one on each side, and set at 90 degrees to each other- this shrinks the image as any concave lens would do. Pixelation is achieved by constructing the curves out of 16 long skinny facets across the 36 mm width, producing the 16-bit resolution effect. My color lithophane of a famous physicist serves as my first object to pixelate. A fun new optical toy in my collection. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this and other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physics #physicstoy #optics #physicsfun #additiveoptics opticalelements cylindicallens pixelate 16bit facetedlens refraction lightrays science scienceisawesome

1,118 3

9 days ago

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GIF Film Card II: Next generation lenticular motion that can stack many images to produce two seconds of video motion on a physical semitransparent card. Classic lenticular motion is produced by tiny cylindrical lens arrayed in such a way that allows for one of multiple images (usually fewer than 5) to show depending on the angle of view. This multiple image high resolution lenticular features three scenes from a famous series about a fictional and infamous Heisenberg. ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this card and other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #lenticular #VariVue #physicstoy #giffilmcard #cylindricallens

3,389 20

10 days ago

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Sublimation and Deposition of Iodine: this bulb was evacuated and filled with pure iodine vapor, some of which crystallizes onto the glass surface. When the bulb is exposed to a heat source, such as a halogen lamp, the iodine crystals undergo a phase change directly to a purple tinted gas (via sublimation) at a temperature of about 40° C. The gas then forms crystals (via deposition) on a cooler parts of the bulb. The crystal growth shown here is 2 hours of time lapse. Set this bulb on a sunny window sill and get a new batch of crystals each day! ➡️ Follow the link in my profile for info on where to get this device and many other amazing items featured here on @physicsfun #physicstoy #phasechange #sublimation #thermodynamics #sciencedemo

2,707 9

11 days ago