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Rattlebacks, sometimes called rollerbacks or celts, have been around since antiquity. The first examples were found in the tombs of Egyptian mummies, and were believed to have been formed in the Nile river over time. The first published paper explaining their peculiar behavior appeared in 1896 and was written by G T Walker. Despite the fact that these oddly shaped semi-ellipsoid materials seem to defy the physical fact of angular momentum, the secret lies in the off center "ellipsoid bump". This misplaced symmetry causes the instability and interesting movement. They are now sold as toys and demonstrate physical instability in ellipsoids. There is a lot of information on rattlebacks and a good start is on the Wikipedia entry here. Although they can be purchased in many location I found these at American Science and Surplus. Although I could not link to the actual page, just enter "rattlebacks" in the search. I buy several toys and odd objects here. Just check the prices and have some fun with science...
Rattlebacks, sometimes called rollerbacks or celts, have been around since antiquity. The first examples were found in the tombs of Egyptian mummies, and were believed to have been formed in the Nile river over time. The first published paper explaining their peculiar behavior appeared in 1896 and was written by G T Walker. Despite the fact that these oddly shaped semi-ellipsoid materials seem to defy the physical fact of angular momentum, the secret lies in the off center "ellipsoid bump". This misplaced symmetry causes the instability and interesting movement. They are now sold as toys and demonstrate physical instability in ellipsoids. There is a lot of information on rattlebacks and a good start is on the Wikipedia entry here. Although they can be purchased in many location I found these at American Science and Surplus. Although I could not link to the actual page, just enter "rattlebacks" in the search. I buy several toys and odd objects here. Just check the prices and have some fun with science...
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