M-EngMom11: System seeks minimum potential energy

PIRA: 1J11.50

Equipment: double cone and diverging ways on which to roll located in Set 9, Cabinet 3, Shelf 3.

Procedure: The experiment is more of an illusion than anything else and is built on such a small scale that it is effective only for a small group which can cluster around and see the details of construction and behavior.

Since the widely separated end of the ways is obviously elevated, one expects the cone placed on the ways near the center to roll toward the end where the ways join. Actually, the cone goes the other way, apparently rolling uphill. However, the angle of the double cone and the divergence of the ways are designed so that the center of mass of the cone is actually lowered when the cone moves toward the opening of the ways. One has to be close at hand and look hard to see that this is true.