6A10.57 - Mirrors - Anti-Gravity Mirrors

See paragraph one in the procedure section.
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.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.