2011/10/19 by W. G. Unruh, Unruh, W. G.
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Materials and Mechanics #Classical Physics (physics.class-ph) #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Fluid dynamics and aerodynamics studies #Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1110.4368
openalex publication_date 2011/10/19 · openalex created_date 2024/04/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The slinky, released from rest hanging under its own weight, falls in a peculiar manner. The bottom stays at rest until a wave hits it from above. Two cases -- one unphysical one where the slinky is able to pass through itself, and the other where the coils of the slinky collide creating a shock wave travelling down the slinky -- are analysed. In the former case, the bottom begins to move much later than in the latter.