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In Fig. 3-23, a needle has been placed in each end of a broomstick, the tips of the needles resting on the edges of filled wine glasses. The experimenter strikes the broomstick a swift and sturdy blow with a stout rod. The broomstick breaks and falls to the floor but the wine glasses remain in place and no wine is spilled. This impressive parlor stunt was popular at the end of the nineteenth century. What is the physics behind it? (If you try it, practice first with empty soft drink cans. Come to think of it, you might ask your physics instructor to do it, as a lecture demonstration!)

In Fig. 3-23, a needle has been placed in each end of a broomstick, the tips of the needles resting on the edges of filled wine glasses. The experimenter strikes the broomstick a swift and sturdy blow with a stout rod. The broomstick breaks and falls to the floor but the wine glasses remain in place and no wine is spilled. This impressive parlor stunt was popular at the end of the nineteenth century. What is the physics behind it? (If you try it, practice first with empty soft drink cans. Come to think of it, you might ask your physics instructor to do it, as a lecture demonstration!)

Grade:11

1 Answers

Kevin Nash
askIITians Faculty 332 Points
8 years ago
As the experimenter strikes to the middle of broomstick, there is an upward force will act on one of the needle and the same amount of downward force will act on another middle of the broomstick. Therefore the broomstick breaks and falls to the floor but there is no impact on the wine glasses. That is why, even though the broomstick breaks and falls to the floor, the wine glasses remain in place and no wine is spilled.

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