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Newton's Cradle of Civilization

Solar system on your desk.
  (+6)
(+6)
  [vote for,
against]

A desktop Newton's Cradle constructed from spheres of identical mass but differing in size to reflect the planets in our solar sustem to scale.

(optional Pluto sphere at no extra charge)


[link]






       [+] of course !!!
FlyingToaster, Jul 20 2012
  

       Linear Orrery ?   

       This would be better called a Kepler's Cradle, shirley?
8th of 7, Jul 21 2012
  

       I wonder which materials you could use. Jupiter is 5700 larger than Mercury so you'd struggle to fabricate one sphere 5700 times larger than another while still having the same mass. Even with the larger spheres being hollow it would be difficult to get them to bounce correctly. Still a neat idea though.
AusCan531, Jul 21 2012
  

       If Mercury were a pellet of tungsten and Jupiter were constructed almost entirely out of airgel with just a very thin hard shell, you could get pretty close and still keep the planets 'solid'.
Alterother, Jul 21 2012
  

       Air friction will slow Jupiter too much to disturb Mars. you'll need a glass vacuum case.
Voice, Jul 21 2012
  

       Instead of a hard shell I would suggest all aerogel (painted with a very thin coat of paint) with a rod running through at contact points. Handle with care.
Voice, Jul 21 2012
  

       There's a black hole in my desk. It's supposed to be where the cables are meant to pass through. However, I suspect it's where my pens and paper clips are going, when I'm not looking.
UnaBubba, Jul 22 2012
  
      
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