Ghost Gravity
Using a levitating magnetic top to measure the effect of the moon's gravity.
Woodbridge High School Science Club 2008
Duration: 2:23
Views: 65
Say the film-makers:
Levitron levitating spinning tops can be purchased from Amazon and other suppliers. You need to run the experiment for several months in the same location, measuring the weight needed to balance the levitating top.
We calculated the Moon’s position using this Java applet.
Woah!
Did this work? Really? Really? Amazing!
Levitron tops, in my experience, are fiddly little things to get working. They have a bit of a mind of their own, and seem highly sensitive to temperature (I’ve twice tried to film them in TV studios, under the hot lights. It’s not a happy experience). So, I’m a bit skeptical about this, and whether the experiment is really detecting the moon’s effect on net gravitational force.
Indeed, the only references I can find on the web about Levitron top mass balancing are either crackpot theories about hyperdimensional gravity disturbances (no, really), or this page from the manufacturers which cites temperature as being the key factor.
So I’d love to see the rest of this team’s work. I think it’s an amazing experiment to have done, and a model of perseverance. And I really really hope they’re right. I’m just going to maintain a healthy dose of scientific skepticism.
What do you think?
— Jonathan.
this is really good
matt k, 20 Mar 2009
The problems experienced by the commentator under studio lights was probably due to convection currents. Levitrons do not like air currents!
Of course I will run this again (and keep an eye on temperature)...and then I have to think very deeply about what's going on here and what exactly we have been measuring...
The Director, 02 Feb 2009
Knowing how sensitive to temperature this experiment is it would be good to know if that was recorded and taken into account.
I really want this to be true. An elegant construction and a great idea.
Well done for the sticking power to repeat it every day for 4 months!
Elin, 31 Jan 2009
We ran the experiment at the same time in the exact same place every day - to minimise all variables.
Once we had enough data to plot a graph, and we knew the moon's position, we could accurately predict the equilibrium mass before running the experiment.
Truth is - I didn't think this experiment would work - but these amazing Year 7's proved me wrong :)
The Director, 30 Jan 2009
How did you measure it over 4 months?
I share the Scicast guy's scepticism. Nice visuals though! Just a bit dodgy on the science front...
Will, 29 Jan 2009