2006-08-03 05:15:44 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Silly. u and i, have 2 much time on our hands.
2006-08-03 05:19:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well if it was set up in the 'perfect way, with the escalator speed just right and the slinky moving down in a straight line, and the escalator steps just the right width, then I suspect it could go on for a long time. However, 'forever' assumes that the system is perfect with no friction losses, bumps or misdirections. Obviously, this is not a perpetual motion matter as energy is being input by the rising escalator and therefore energy is constantly being put back in by taking the slinky up all the time and injecting latent energy into it. Great question though and wouldn't it be great to try it out?
2006-08-03 12:22:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, and for a simple reason I didn't see posted already:
Springs, like the slinky, do not retain 100% of the energy they're given, and as such a slinky would eventually lose too much energy to make the next flip over and continue the never-ending downward march.
Sorry!
2006-08-03 12:27:54 · answer #3 · answered by pblcbox 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because the shops turn the escalators off at closing time.
I hate it when you go up or down, and some joker has pressed the button to stop the thing. Defeats the whole purpose of their existence. (the escalator AND the joker)
2006-08-07 06:33:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sneak into a department store or get some hook-ups with some local maintenance guys at one and test it out! It'd be a cool idea but the speed would of course have to be just right.
2006-08-03 12:21:56 · answer #5 · answered by I want my *old* MTV 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOL. I *wish*!!
Every time I try to make a slinky go down just one flight of stairs, it goes perfectly end over end down maybe three of them, and falls down the rest.
They should have called it the "Stumble"
2006-08-03 12:21:00 · answer #6 · answered by chrissyberry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never known a slinky to actually reach the bottom of the stairs, so... no.
2006-08-03 12:27:36 · answer #7 · answered by xenobyte72 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the question would be which would wear out first, slinky or escalator?
2006-08-03 12:21:29 · answer #8 · answered by billy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ha ha! I would think so, but the escalator would have to be going faster than the normal setting, to maintain the momentum...
2006-08-03 12:21:04 · answer #9 · answered by alilintheknw 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What a cool idea!
Although I'm sure if it did work someone would stop it by thinking they were cool or cute or something and spoil it for everyone else.
2006-08-03 12:23:16 · answer #10 · answered by K's Mom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No - escalators break down.
2006-08-04 19:59:56 · answer #11 · answered by grandad 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋