Hooked on Science: A hex nut can show the power of gravity 9/22/11

You can put a hex nut into a plastic bottle without touching it.

Materials

* Index card

* Tape

* Plastic bottle

* Hex nut

Instructions

STEP 1: Cut the index card into four long strips. Overlap the ends of the index card strips and tape them to each other. Connect the taped strips to create a hoop.

STEP 2: Balance the hoop vertically over the plastic bottle. Place the hex nut on top of the hoop directly above the opening of the plastic bottle.

STEP 3: Hit the hoop on the inside with your finger.

Explanation

Hitting the hoop on the inside flattens the hoop somewhat, pulling the hoop down and away from the hex nut. Once this occurs, gravity pulls the hex nut into the plastic bottle. If you hit the hoop from the outside, it pushes the hex nut higher, overcoming its inertia and pushing it away from the plastic bottle.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindseyhookedonscience.com. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.