Hundreds of tricks, stunts, jokes, and puzzles are based on the laws of physics.
Here are five problems
using household objects that you can try yourself around the dinner table.
After you solve them (or look
up the answers!), try them on your friends and family.
How can elementary science be used to solve them?
1. TRANSPORT THE OLIVE
The object is to transport the olive from the
upside-down goblet to the upright goblet without
touching anything except the inverted glass. You're
also not allowed to tip the inverted g1ass over or
move the olive beyond the surface of the table.
How can this trick be done?
2. DOLLAR BILL BRIDGE
Place the two goblets upright about five inches
apart. Then place a dollar bill apross the two rims
like a bridge. How can you form this bridge so it will
support a saltshaker placed on the bridge's center?
3. IMPOSSIBOTTLE
A hard-boiled egg without the shell is shown inside a carafe. The
carafe's neck is too narrow to allow the egg to pass through. How
did it get inside? And how can you get it out without breaking the
carafe or damaging the egg?
4. FLOATING NEEDLE
Will a needle float on water? Yes, if you know how to go about it.
5. MONETARY BALANCE
The illustration shows a half-dollar held so its
edge overlaps the rim of the glass. How can you
cause the coin to stay in this position without the
support of your hand or any object that touches
the table or the glass?