Multiple-collision acceleration demonstrator and toy

Abstract

A device comprising several highly elastic objects (for example, steel balls (14)) hanging from a support structure (12) is presented whose purpose is to demonstrate an unobvious consequence of fundamental laws of physics - the acceleration of an object to high speed by multiple collisions among a series of heavier objects moving at slower speed. The objects, each of different mass, are arrayed in close proximity in order of decreasing mass with their centers lying along a horizontal straight line. When the heaviest object, hanging at one end of the line, is pulled back a small distance, rising to some small height above its rest position, and released the resulting impact leads to a transfer of energy through the line of objects to the lightest one, at the other end of the line, which is accelerated to high velocity. When appropriately directed, this high velocity can cause the lightest object to rise to a much greater height than that from which the heaviest object was released. The preferred embodiment does not permit the lightest object to rise to its full possible height and instead uses a wind-up bar (18) to intercept its rise and cause it to return to its rest position. Other embodiments are suggested which would graphically demonstrate the high velocity given the lightest object or the large height to which it can rise.