speed ball

Speed ball science museum exhibitions science exhibitions non-standard custom manufacturers

This exhibit is composed of five transparent plastic spheres of varying sizes, each with its upper and lower ends fixed to the ceiling and floor tiles by ropes. Inside the spheres, there are lightweight balls of different material sizes.

When using it, hold the plastic ball with both hands and slowly rotate it rhythmically until the metal ball inside starts rolling regularly. When the rhythm is accurate, the metal ball will immediately accelerate and begin to orbit within the sphere. The audience participating in the experience can observe the changes in resonance frequency of different spheres by selecting five spheres of different diameters for experimentation. Resonance refers to the situation where a physical system vibrates with a larger amplitude at a specific frequency compared to other frequencies; These specific frequencies are called resonance frequencies. At these frequencies, even small periodic driving forces can generate large amplitude oscillations because the system stores vibrational energy.

This exhibition also shows us a process of converting kinetic energy and potential energy into each other. When the plastic ball is stationary, the small balls inside the large ball are also stationary, and at this time, the kinetic energy and potential energy of the small balls are the smallest. When there is an external force, that is, when the audience shakes the plastic ball, the kinetic energy from the outside is transmitted to the ball through resonance. When the ball moves at the maximum diameter of the plastic ball, both the kinetic and potential energy of the ball are maximized.