Lava Lamp in a Centrifuge

Would a Lava Lamp work on Jupiter with its higher gravity? To find out, I built a large centrifuge out of Meccano and spun up a lava lamp. For more information, visit http://neil.fraser.name/hardware/centrifuge/

Music is the finale from Riverdance by Bill Whelan.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Lava
• lamp
• centrifuge
• gravity
• fluid
• dynamics
• Meccano
• Erector

[skipplet]

1:16 Coriolis effect?

[Odo987]

@skipplet Not quite. Early in the spin cycle while the centrifuge is still accelerating the counter-clockwise rotation is just momentum (liquid wants to be a rest, but lamp is being spun). However this damps out soon after a stable 3G is reached. Then at the end of the video the liquid starts a weak clockwise rotation. This is the Coriolis effect!

[espasimo]

It's not entirely accurate, as the wind from swinging around would cool off the "lava" making it work better.

[Odo987]

@espasimo In practice it takes two hours for the lava lamp to warm up to its circulating state, so it has massive thermal capacitance. I doubt that 60 seconds of wind would have much of an effect. But your point is valid.

[Sqrrl101]

So, you were curious about something and decided to build an extremely dangerous-looking device to test it experimentally?

You have my admiration, sir.

[sAcRoSaNct17]

It looks even cooler 0_o

[TheZombieLibrarian]

That's a hell of an erector set.

[Monstoday]

I'm interested in measuring the G force on roller coasters and fairground rides. What type of phone and what phone app were you using?

[blakereed92]

43 seconds in... WE GET IT, YOU BUILT SOMETHING COMPLICATED!

SHOW THE SPINNING ALREADY!!!

[HUGOVANTA]

lets just casually build a centrifuge in the middle of your living room.. nice!! good effort (Y)

[CatalinaThePirate]

This rawks! XD

[clouseinthehouseee]

Someone has alot of time on their hands! Good job!

[TommtheDrummer]

Very cool :D 

[PumpManufacturers]

nice show

[2MeterBONG]

Meccano rulez!