World’s Largest Newton’s Cradle has Giant Balls

Newton’s Cradle- you might also know it as the executive ball clicker- is typically a desktop size item made of several balls hanging in a row by a string. When you move one or two away, the energy is transferred such that the same number of balls on the opposite side bounce away. Horrible explanation, but you know what it is smart reader. Anyway, The Geek Group has made it their mission (accomplished!) to create the world’s largest Newton’s Cradle. They had the balls to go and do it. How big? Bowling balls big! Each cable holding the 15 pound bowling balls is 20 feet long and the balls hang 3 feet off the ground. That’s 300 pounds of balls hanging from the rafters in their building.

Wouldn’t want to get my fingers smashed in between those bowling balls! As my physics geek readers know, the cradle demonstrates the laws of conservation of momentum and energy. And with balls that size, that’s a lot of energy. Really cool.. and if you’re nearby Kalamazoo, Michigan you could arrange for a visit to the Geek Group to see and use the giant pendulum yourself or with a school class or group.