Where can I find a good physics magic?

Question

A magic trick, device or gadget that can demonstrate a physics principle in a fun way.

Answer 1

How about levitation?

You can buy novelty items (clocks, globes etc) that 'float' on magnets fairly cheaply from shops. The only problem with these magnetic-levitation devices is that, due to the Hall effect, they require something to 'lean' against.

A better demonstration of magnetic levitation can be achieved by making a YBCO high-temperature superconductor. If you have the right compounds (which most Chemistry departments at school have) and a furnace that can reach about 1000 degrees centigrate (most Physics departments will have this) you will be able to make a superconductor in about five days or so. Then, simply cool the superconducting pellet down to about 77 kelvin (liquid-nitrogen temperature, all physics departments will have liquid nitrogen lying around) and place it above a strong magnet. The superconductor will float until its temperature rises above about 120 kelvin and it will drop onto the magnet.

The physics surrounding high-temperature superconductors remains incomplete, but basically the electrons in the structure of the YBCO pair and act as a single quasiparticle (with interger spin). This quasiparticle obeys Bose-Einstein statistics (it is a boson) and, consequently, isn't perterbed by the quantum states of the YBCO it passes through.

Answer 2

Happy and Sad Balls- available from several sources. These are two black rubbery balls of the same size, weight, etc., yet one bounces merrily and the other drops and stops.

You can use them in several ways. Show a ball, and say it is smart or psychic. Have someone tell it a joke. If the joke is good, it will bounce. If it is bad, it will just drop. Hear the joke and drop the ball. The secret is you are holding both balls and drop the right one. This will take a little practice on your part.



You know- your best bet will be to go the the local magic shop or novelty store and see what they have on hand to play with!

Answer 3

I'd have a look at normal magic web sites as a number of standard magic tricks have a lot of physics behind them. Some possible tricks include the Static Snake Charmer, Imp Bottle, Genie in a Bottle, and Newton's Nightmare.

Also have a look at demo sites and publications from physics education and professional bodies. 2005 was the International Year of Physics and lots of easy-to-do demo ideas were published then. The UK's Institute of Physics (IoP) developed a booklet of Physics tricks people to use at their International Year of Physics activities

And finally you could look for books, web sites and columns by people such as Bob Friedhoffer and Martin Gardner who have published works on the science of magic.

You could also look for books by people such as Bob Friedhoffer and Martin Gardiner who have done a lot of science of magic type things...

Answer 4

Have you heard of the tablecloth trick with inertia and Newton's 1st law?