jnw (03/29/83)
Armchair physicists and Ph.D.s, explain this one!
I've been told that the only time you can balance an egg on its big end
is at the equinox. I've seen demonstrations of the fact that eggs do
balance on end at the equinox and have never seen an egg balance on end
when it is not the equinox.
Is the folklore concerning the equinox correct? If so, WHY? Several
wild ideas have been posed around here concerning the juxtaposition of the
earth's axis and the sun at the equinox, but they don't seem to hold water.
I think this is probably of general interest if someone has an
explanation, so if you KNOW why this works (or if it's a lie) please
reply to the net.
Thanx.
joe wilson
Univ. of Virginia
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Arpa: jnw.uvacs@udel-relaylynnef (03/30/83)
In my college Physics class, I had an Chinese professor. He walked in one day (in the Spring sometime), and announced that it was a special Chinese holiday on which an egg could be stood on end. He stood up about 3 eggs and then proceeded with the lecture. Sometime later in the month I succeeded in standing an egg on its end. It was not an equinox at the time. I think it has to do with luck and magic fingers myself.
KING@KESTREL (03/31/83)
From: Richard M. King <KING at KESTREL> I have no idea whether it is, indeed, possible to balance an egg on its big end only at the equinox. This requires careful testing. If it is true, I would rather suspect that the explaination rests in the differing properties of eggs laid at different times of the year, rather than in the truly minescule differences in the forces that the Sun exerts on the egg during the equinox and at other times. Obvious candidates include radius of curvature, yolk position, yolk volume, and yolk density Dick -------
kdmoen (03/31/83)
I've seen demonstrations of the fact that eggs do balance on end at the
equinox and have never seen an egg balance on end when it is not the
equinox.
Who performed these demonstrations? Under what conditions?
It's fairly simple to balance an egg on end on an apparently smooth
table top. All you need to do is (secretly) deposit a few grains of
sand or salt on the table, under the egg. I've done the trick myself.
I find it hard to believe that the equinox has any real stabilizing
effect on eggs.
Doug Moen, {allegra,decvax,utcsrgv}!watmath!kdmoenhalle1 (04/01/83)
I think it more likely that the egg was hard boiled, and you were tricked.
CStacy@MIT-MC (04/01/83)
From: Christopher C. Stacy <CStacy at MIT-MC>
Date: 31 Mar 83 17:15:17-PST (Thu)
From: npois!houxm!houxz!halle1 at Ucb-Vax
Article-I.D.: houxz.286
In-Reply-To: Article teklabs.1860
Received: from Usenet.uucp by SRI-Unix.uucp with rs232; 1 Apr 83 3:48-PST
I think it more likely that the egg was hard boiled, and you were tricked.
Indeed, I seem to remember this technique being mentioned in a
children's magic book I saw.RHB@MIT-MC (04/01/83)
From: Robert H. Berman <RHB @ MIT-MC> I have heard of two variations of standing an egg on its end. 1. Use a hard-boiled egg and tap it lightly on its end to make an indentation for base. 2. Sprinkle salt or other nearly invisble or nondetectable crystals to act as a prop. In both cases, be sure to talk about special effects, like the equinox or magic fingers as a way of performing misdirection to confuse the observer. One reference, "101 Bar Bets You Can Win" is particular helpful in suggesting misleading and confusing patter and body motions in "balancing" the egg on its end. Does anyone else want to hear about how I can bend spoons with my mental powers only on April Fool's Day?
rhm (04/01/83)
I'm sure that assymetric tidal forces are a factor. These questions are discussed at considerable length in a book named "The Theory of the Top" by Felix Klein (translated from the German "Theorie des Kreisels").
WBD.TYM@OFFICE-3 (04/01/83)
Was this trick done on April 1st? --Bi<<