Quote from: pinobot on July 11, 2012, 06:26:04 AM
Lying in my bed this morning i got yet another great idea. ::)
I think most people here know this Stevin Experiment.
What if you use an elastic band instead of a string?
Just a thought to keep us busy. :)
With the elastic band you can (probably) have more weights, but the band will stretch more at the top than the bottom. This kind of disalignment of the weights will probably account for the number of weights that hypotetically would overbalance. Very often, if not allways, the final conclusion is that the vertical movement of weights will determine the gain in potential energy.
Also, if you see on the left hand side, the "hill" is not as steep as the right hand side. That will cause a force along the left hand track that is less pr. weight than the force along the right hand track. The result is equal force on both sides even if the vertical force (towards gravity) is greater on the left hand side. However, the weights isn't moving vertical, but along an angled hill. The angle will determine the force in that directon.
The result is equilibrium. It wont work.
Vidar