Posts: 1263
From: Chennai
Registered: Apr 2001

posted October 22, 2002 12:07 PM         

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One of my sisters demonstrated to me this experiment.

A needle would not float in water. Instead if you float a sheet of paper on the water, then place the needle over it, and then carefully remove the paper, the needle would still be floating.

There hasn't been an explanation so far.

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Posts: 3308
From: England
Registered: Jan 2002

posted October 22, 2002 12:28 PM         

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Wow..
I've never seen that done.

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Posts: 210
From: Date and Place Variable, depending on my mood :)
Registered: Oct 2002

posted October 22, 2002 02:12 PM         

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The needle floats because of an invisible "elastic skin" on the surface of the water. (Surface tension).

When water comes into contact with air, the molecules on the surface of the water band together to form the thin film over the surface.

If you drop the needle onto the water it cuts the surface tension and sinks. If you place it there, your fingers break the tension. The paper is flat and thin - the needle will lay flat on the paper (and, therefore, the water) you can then slip the paper out without breaking tension in the area where the needle floats. You can do this same thing if you lay the needle on the water with a fork then **slowly** slide the fork out of the water.

There are several things that will just about guarantee this trick's success. 1. Be very careful to lay the needle **gently** in the water. It's better if the "top" of the needle (the part not in the water) stays dry. 2. rub the needle between your fingers a few times -- you will leave a film of body oils on the needle. And, since oil and water don't mix - it helps the float.

Um, sorry -- this is probably WAAAAYYYY more than you ever cared to know.

It's a very cool thing....

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posted October 22, 2002 02:18 PM           

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lol Shamrock! I knew there was some sort of explanation for it but I wasn't feeling up to looking for it online today. Thank you for clearing that up.

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hello today ..open your eyes ..the snow is falling just like leaves ..aquarian warriors rebuild the ship ..mr rainbow is gone ..hello my love ..here's to your heart ..unfold the lillies in the deep ..the season's over, the shores are sealed ..now ashen roses rain on the fields ..innocent dreamers, look what you've done ..now it's time for the phoenix to fly  

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Posts: 1263
From: Chennai
Registered: Apr 2001

posted October 23, 2002 11:05 AM         

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I was told it operates under the same priniciple as bumblebee. Really, I didn't know there was a scientific explanation!

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Posts: 210
From: Date and Place Variable, depending on my mood :)
Registered: Oct 2002

posted October 23, 2002 12:35 PM         

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Bumblebees can fly even though they look too big for the size of their wings because they can "flap" them so rapidly. I guess vibrate is a better word than flap

It's the same principal as when you pluck a guitar string and it vibrates and continues to vibrate for a bit. Their wings are attached to their larynx, (I believe - but, if not, some organ like that) and it twangs and causes the wings to vibrate very rapidly.

Again, more than you probably ever wanted to know . I'll go shut up and sit in the corner now

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Posts: 3308
From: England
Registered: Jan 2002

posted October 23, 2002 01:21 PM         

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Shamrock
How are you liking sitting in that corner

Great information

Sue

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Posts: 210
From: Date and Place Variable, depending on my mood :)
Registered: Oct 2002

posted October 23, 2002 04:09 PM         

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LOL! It's great, actually, I brought comfy pillows and one of my copies of Star Signs

Randall, you really need to dust in the corners of this board more often

Cat, I'm a Sue, too

It's funny, I can't remember what I had for breakfast, and don't ask me what my phone number is half the time -- but this junk is right at my fingertips for some reason. Is that a Pisces thing or am I just strange??

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posted October 23, 2002 04:47 PM           

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shamrock! Get out of that corner!! I appreciate your posts.

I'd hate to play Trivia Persuit with you, though!

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Posts: 210
From: Date and Place Variable, depending on my mood :)
Registered: Oct 2002

posted October 23, 2002 04:54 PM         

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LOL, Amber! It's funny you should say that -- I can't get anyone to play with me anymore

To get them to play I have to play a game of Scrabble first -- I STINK at Scrabble

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Posts: 3308
From: England
Registered: Jan 2002

posted October 23, 2002 05:02 PM         

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Hey Shamrock
Naaa...you're just strange
Hahaha just kidding
Sue

PS: Maybe it's a "Sue" thing...we're all

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Posts: 5459
From: Bisbee, Arizona
Registered: May 2002

posted October 23, 2002 05:13 PM         

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Shamrock227, what is your sign? I am intrigued by your answers!! Cool info.

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"Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul in this world--and never will."

Mark Twain

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Posts: 210
From: Date and Place Variable, depending on my mood :)
Registered: Oct 2002

posted October 23, 2002 07:40 PM         

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I'm a Pisces, pidaua. Glad you enjoyed the answers I actually like knowing weird stuff like that because I love to see the look on people's faces when I tell the info. The strange look is usually followed with an emphatic "WHY do you know that?". Unless it's one of my closer friends then it's "you can't remember from one minute to the next how do you remember that?" It's really very amusing. You have an interesting screen name -- how did you pick it?

Cat, I think you're right, it's a Sue thing. (we should make that our new slogan )

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Posts: 23731
From: Columbus, GA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted October 24, 2002 02:25 AM         

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Randall dust? Never!

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"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark

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Posts: 7419
From: piopolis, quebec canada
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 09, 2006 03:02 PM         

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hehe..I found some stardust bunnies!

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