The Quantum Mechanics Multipendulum

An homage to the Newton’s Cradles that became synonymous with every executive’s desktop in the 1980s, this is the kinetic sculpture that generates a 60-second harmonic series of undulating waveforms. Without the constant clacking of its predecessor, the sculpture has nine 3/4"-diam. steel balls suspended at different lengths that swing freely as uncoupled pendulums perpendicular to the frame’s axis. With the longest pendulum swinging nine times and the shortest swinging 60 times within the 60-second interval, the rest combine their oscillation rates to form undulating, serpentine patterns that can be seen when observing the sculpture end-on. These balls do not knock into one another to demonstrate conservation of momentum—rather, they oscillate at different rates when the sculpture is set in motion with a bar that pushes back and releases all of the balls simultaneously. 15 1/4" x 3 3/4" W x 11 3/4" H. (3 1/2 lbs.)