Instead of simple balls, Newton's Russian Roulette Cradle features live munitions hanging nose to tail. An amplitude calibration gauge enables the initial priming motion to be repeated and gradually increased until the inevitable catastrophic outcome is achieved.
This is a particularly dangerous device, and I do not recommend constructing it, or tempting destiny by competitively engaging with its operation.-- xenzag, Nov 12 2018 [+]
<Wonders if this idea can be modified into Newton's Russian Roulette Cat's Cradle>-- 8th of 7, Nov 12 2018 In your case, 40mm grenade shells would be a good choice of munition. (The neighbourhood cats will come in through the gaping holes and eat the left-overs)-- xenzag, Nov 12 2018 Actually, a Newton's cradle "Godiva device", using fissile material in the spheres, would be amusing; every time the five balls came into momentary contact, there would be a flash of Cherenkov radiation ...-- 8th of 7, Nov 12 2018 I also wrote up this variation:Newton's Inverted Cradle
Newton's Inverted Cradle is for those who have grown tired of the regular version of the famous desktop toy. (or any of the other ones here on the HB) In this version, a heavy metal plate is fixed above the hanging balls which are now tethered at the base, and hang below the metal plate because they are composed of neodymium magnets, that are strongly attracted to each other as well as the metal plate above them.
Pulling out of alignment and releasing the end ball causes it spring upwards in an arc, and transfer its energy to the line of hanging balls, forcing the end one to carry out a reciprocal action.-- xenzag, Nov 12 2018 I suspect you'll have problems with that one, [xen]. Gravity is constant throughout the swing of a regular Newton's Cradle; in contrast, the magnetic force on yours will be much, much greater at the top of their arc. I suspect this will lead to rapid damping.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 12 2018 That's why I didn't post it..... Just thought it might jitter and not do much else, but with some timed on and off electromagnets in the system as well, it could be made to work differently. Maybe....-- xenzag, Nov 12 2018 //timed on and off electromagnets//
Yes. Or you could implement it as a computer animation.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 12 2018 random, halfbakery