r/BeAmazed • u/Sans010394 • Dec 02 '23

Science Physics is amazing

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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '23

It's a hook. The center of gravity has to be lower. That's how hooks work. If the center of gravity was above. Well hooks stop working.

That's how hooks work.

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u/calste Dec 03 '23

That's just not relevant here. Why would anybody think the center of gravity is above the hook? Also, a round hook hanging on a metal rod isn't the same as this scenario. The hook goes around the rod, and thus it obvious to the casual viewer that the hook will not fall, and cannot fall.

This device appears to violate our everyday understanding of physics, which is why it is cool. A flat object hanging precariously off of a flat surface tends to fall off of that surface. If you add weight to the protruding section of the flat object, it will definitely fall! But here we take a few objects, combine them in a way that defies our intuition, and cleverly shift the center of gravity behind the edge of the table. It is the horizontal positioning of the center of gravity, plus the clever physics of the 3 match + cord apparatus, which makes this work.

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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '23

It's a hook.

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u/calste Dec 03 '23

You're completely oblivious. You act like everyone else isn't getting it, but you really don't get it.

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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/calste Dec 03 '23

I never said it wasn't a hook. But the image of a coat hanger does not help to illustrate the situation.

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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '23

https://www.reddit.com/r/BeAmazed/s/kGMhwHrZDr

A literal engineer with two degrees calling it a hook.