2007-06-01 05:29:30 · 6 answers · asked by Outcast2Last 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
It's called the stroba-scophic (check spelling) effect.
The spelling could well be slightly out.
The same effect a strobe light in a night club that appears to make you move slower or in a more jerky fashion, or a timing light for adjusting the spark to advance or retard a car engine which makes the flywheel appear to be stopped, has.
Essentially it's the frequency of the light over the speed of rotation or movement.
Simplified this means that if the light flashes, say, 50 times a second and the wheel is rotating 50 times a second, the wheel; will appear to be stationary/stopped.
Fun with good looking wheels but very dangerous when operating engineering machinery such as lathes or drills.
The chuck can appear to be stopped when in fact it's flying...
Just realised that I went into lecture mode, sorry...!
Hope it helps clear it up somewhat...
2007-06-01 06:02:02 · answer #1 · answered by Irish D.... 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
optical ilussion, the wheel is going foward the whole time, due to the speed your brain can not follow the wheels speed and there for you only see the reflects of the light ...
2007-06-01 05:39:21 · answer #2 · answered by peru_jhonatan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It an optical illusion and a strobe effect of sensing movement.
For an complete explanation see:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13660/Illusion-regarding-rotating-wheels
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01404.htm
2007-06-01 05:48:48 · answer #3 · answered by Jerry 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What you're talking about is an optical illusion.
2007-06-01 05:37:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
So you'd ask a question
2007-06-01 05:45:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
spinners
2007-06-01 05:54:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋