Description
the Maxwell’s Cradle II is A desktop toy that shows the power of magnetism. A steel ball runs on a slightly curved acrylic track, being given a small “kick” by the electromagnetic coil in the center. Due to gravity and the curved track, the ball reaches the and runs back to the middle to be given a “kick” by the electromagnet again, repeating the process.
The original Maxwell’s Cradle had two opto-sensors that detected the position of the ball. That was cool, but version Maxwell’s Cradle II is way cooler. It has NO SENSORS. just a copper coil, a non-magnetic ball and a curved acrylic track. This confounds many people who see the Maxwell’s Cradle in operation.
The kit is made from transparent acrylic and an electronic PCB. A free form electromagnetic coil make from enameled wire is provided to accelerate the ball. The timing of this magnetic pulse is critical to its operation and this is controlled by a microprocessor on the PCB
The Maxwell’s cradle II requires a power supply of 12V at 2A or more
Maxwell Cradle II Resources can be found here
