Anti-Gravity Mirrors

 

Code Number: 6A10.57

Demo Title: Mirrors - Anti-Gravity Mirrors

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Reflections

Area of Study: Optics

Equipment:

4X8 Plexiglas mirror, support wall or stand.

Procedure:

Have a person stand at one edge of the mirror and as close as possible.  In this manner half of the person should look like a full image.  If the person waves his/her arms and legs on the viewing side of the mirror it will look like he/she is suspended in space.  Viewing should take place at a small angle to the normal of the mirror.

References:

  • "Amazing Self Levitation Illusion", TPT, Vol. 50, # 4, Apr. 2012, p. 249.
  • Martin Gardner,  "Physics Trick of the Month - Mirror Levitations",  TPT, Vol. 37, # 8, p. 468, Nov. 1999.
  • H. Richard Crane, "Magnetic Levitation (Almost)", TPT, Vol. 30, # 9, Dec. 1992, p. 540.
  • Peter Zwicker, "Flying Halloween Witch", TPT, Vol. 26, # 7, Oct. 1988, p. 476.
  • Thomas W. Norton, "The Old Hat Trick", TPT, Vol. 20, # 6, Sept. 1982, p. 395 - 396.
  • Paul Doherty, Don Rathjen, "Anti-Gravity Mirror", The Cheshire Cat, p. 8.
  • Martin Gardner, "51, Mirror Levitation", Smart Science Tricks, p. 81.
  • Martin Gardner, "Split Personality", Entertaining Science Experiments with Everyday Objects, p. 23.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, David Maiullo, "Flying Physics Teacher", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 331.
  • Julien Clinton Sprott, "6.9, Talking Head", Physics Demonstrations, p. 253, ISBN 0-299-21580-6.
  • Ron Hipschman,  "Anti-Gravity Mirror",  Exploratorium Cookbook, p. 169.1.