E504 - Newton’s Cradle - Simple Desk Toy or Action Incentive to change for podcasters

2025-11-18

Episode 504 - Newton's Cradle - Simple Desk Toy or Action Incentive to change for podcastersYou've probably seen this contraption before: Five small silver balls hang in a perfectly straight line by thin threads that attach them to two parallel horizontal bars, which are in turn attached to a base. They sit on office desks around the world.If you pull a ball up and out and then release it, it falls back and collides with the others with a loud click. Then, instead of all four...

Episode 504 - Newton's Cradle - Simple Desk Toy or Action Incentive to change for podcasters

You've probably seen this contraption before: Five small silver balls hang in a perfectly straight line by thin threads that attach them to two parallel horizontal bars, which are in turn attached to a base. They sit on office desks around the world.

If you pull a ball up and out and then release it, it falls back and collides with the others with a loud click. Then, instead of all four remaining balls swinging out, only the ball on the opposite end jumps forward, leaving its comrades behind, hanging still. That ball slows to a stop and then falls back, and all five are briefly reunited before the first ball is pushed away from the group again.

This is a Newton's cradle, also called a Newton's rocker or a ball clicker. It was so-named in 1967 by English actor Simon Prebble, in honor of his countryman and revolutionary physicist Isaac Newton.

Despite its seemingly simple design, the Newton's cradle and its swinging, clicking balls isn't just an ordinary desk toy. It is, in fact, an elegant demonstration of some of the most fundamental laws of physics and mechanics.

The toy illustrates the three main physics principles at work: conservation of energy, conservation of momentum and friction. In this article, we'll look at those principles, at elastic and inelastic collisions, and kinetic and potential energy. We'll also examine the work of such great thinkers as Rene Descartes, Christiaan Huygens and Isaac Newton himself.How does this relate to podcasting? What you put out to the world will come back to you in equal measure - whether that is kindess or unkindness, encouragement or discouragement - if you are looking to grow your podcast, help someone else grow their podcast. If you are looking for money for your podcast, give to another podcast. If you want reviews, give reviews. Don't give to get - give to give and it will be returned to you - it might not come back to you exactly as you gave but it will return to you with the same impact, just like Newton's Cradle

___

https://www.youtube.com/@TheHowToPodcastSeries⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://howtopodcast.ca/⁠⁠Leave Dave a message - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/HelloDave⁠⁠

Comments (3)