This man has a lot of time on his hands.
Is NASA planning to send LAVA LAMPS to Jupiter?
You know how it is: you're crashed on the sofa quaffing a beer and staring pensively at your hypnotic lava lamp when you're suddenly struck by the overwhelming desire to find out if the 1960s design classic* would work on Jupiter. Well, the good news is that Google software engineer Neil Fraser has answered this vital galactic …
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 08:10 GMT Parax
Re: The physics of lava lamps are complex
I'm sure it's not that complex. If the fluids are incompressible there will be minimal difference with another value of G, the densities will remain the same, as will the heat capacity and melting point of the wax and oil. and the buoyancy ratio will also remain proportional.
The key factor for a lava lamp to 'work' is having a suitable cooling convection around the chamber (which this test omits)
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 11:16 GMT John Sager
Re: The physics of lava lamps are complex
That's probably why, in a General Studies session at my old school (back in the 60s), the art teacher made some irritatingly dismissive remarks about lava lamps. That's probably the point when I decided that arty people have nothing useful to say and subsequent experience has only reinforced that view.
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This post has been deleted by its author
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 10:09 GMT Andy Mc
Re: Wrong orientation?
Look again. The cage the lamp's in can pivot, so when it gets up to speed the lamp is (almost) horizontal and the primary forces run from the top of the lamp to the bottom. There is still a lateral component of 1g, but this force is 3 times greater so it's more like having the lamp at 30 degrees or thereabouts. Cool anyway :)
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 13:05 GMT Kubla Cant
Re: Go Meccano
I was delighted to see that much of the Meccano used to build this centrifuge was green and notably old-looking. Unlike the modern Meccano as I've seen.
The thing that impresses me most is the lightweight frame of the base, which doesn't appear to be fixed down in any way. It must be superbly well-balanced. If I made a thing like this it would probably walk across the floor and smash the windows.
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 12:55 GMT Kubla Cant
Lava lamp
When I first encountered these lamps, I'm sure they were called Astra (or possibly Astro) lamps, and the distinctive glass container appeared to come from a swanky brand of fruit squash (oxymoron alert!) whose name escapes me.
They seemed to disappear during the 70s, along with kaftans and joss-sticks. But then they reappeared with a new name. Is this evidence of the great wheel of existence? Or is my memory playing tricks - it was the 60s, after all.
Icon of hippie with a good-sized joint.
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 14:14 GMT John Gamble
Re: Lava lamp
Yup. Brief history courtesy of The Straight Dope: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/568/how-do-lava-lamps-work
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 14:54 GMT Anonymous Coward
Question.
How is he powering the lamp?
Lava lamps usually required a high heat bulb to melt the wax, usually a high wattage incandescent, running on mains power.. I don't see any wires wrapping around the centrifuge, so has he built a rotational power coupling too?
Or is it just a preheated lamp cooling off?
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Wednesday 14th August 2013 16:12 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Question.
I think the yellow/black wires go to some sort of brush arrangement, perhaps liberated from an old motor. I guess the alternative would be a stack of rechargeable batteries as a counterweight. Less electrocution danger, more unexpected missile potential!
Did he have to sell his furniture to build this contraption? Or maybe housemate/SO moved out for safety reasons... (I can't believe all American houses have a centrifuge room).
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Thursday 15th August 2013 03:54 GMT Allan George Dyer
Love the project...
Question: Is American home wiring generally so under-rated that the lights dim when a moderately-serious appliance is turned on? The PSU looks like 12V, so, with the motor drawing 25A, the mains current is only around 2.5A. Less than a hairdryer.
At last, we have a replacement for the ancient phrase, "not enough room to swing a cat".
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Friday 16th August 2013 16:58 GMT SirDigalot
Re: Love the project...
Most all wiring out here is radial (N.E.C. requirement for the most part and lighting/sockets are on the same circuit I believe for cost of materials and ease of installation so yes especially when you turn a larger appliance on the same branch as the light it will dim for brief instant. but at 110v ( sorry 120ish) what do you expect?
though at least I can get 220v from the box... which is what most of the big stuff runs on
I miss goodly power and a nice MK 13amp plug
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