Sjack Abeling Gravity Wheel and the Worlds first Weight Power Plant

[yaz]

Here's some interesting stuff I found:

There is a popular toy consisting of five steel balls, all of the same size and mass, hanging side by side in a row (many people keep them on their desks). Pull out the end ball and drop it against the row, and one pops of the other end. If two balls are pulled aside and dropped together, two pop out from the other end. The balls seem to count! How do they accomplish this trick?


The Newton's Cradle demonstrates the principle of conservation of energy. When one ball is swung into the other four, nearly all the kinetic energy is transferred through all the others to the ball on the far side which then swings out away from the others. When TWO balls are swung out the energy is doubled. When that doubled energy is transferred through the other balls, it is large enough that it can propel both balls at the far end. The whole thing works because each ball weighs the same as its fellows. If you used balls of different weights all sorts of funny interactions would occur.[/b

[AquariuZ]

On the footage, the is a straight piece of wood the runs diaganol along the wheel, I dont know what thats for, unless its just to support the wheel, so I have left that out for now.

I missed that, do you mean inside the wheel or outside the halves?

Anyway wm2d is not behaving as expected with regards to the transfer of kinetic energy 

The simple toy I described does not work as expected in wm2d as mentioned by cherryman as well.

I was hoping to simulate this, but looks like I cannot (at least not with this software).

[Cherryman]

Good tip AquariuZ, I tried the steel and that works better, but i'm still curious about the moving beams.

Also, if you want to do this with dumbbells, you will have to have a super exact outline to let both sides collapse at the same time... 

[AquariuZ]

Here's some interesting stuff I found:

There is a popular toy consisting of five steel balls, all of the same size and mass, hanging side by side in a row (many people keep them on their desks). Pull out the end ball and drop it against the row, and one pops of the other end. If two balls are pulled aside and dropped together, two pop out from the other end. The balls seem to count! How do they accomplish this trick?

Thats about exactly what I posted 10 minutes ago. 

Great minds think alike.

I did not know this was called a Newtons Cradle.

So, adding to the list of clues:

Possible Newtons Cradle holding the dumbbells in a semi-static configuration to the left of the axle.

Check.

[Cherryman]

I missed that, do you mean inside the wheel or outside the halves?

Anyway wm2d is not behaving as expected with regards to the transfer of kinetic energy 

The simple toy I described does not work as expected in wm2d as mentioned by cherryman as well.

I was hoping to simulate this, but looks like I cannot (at least not with this software).

Hold on...  I might have something.