Posted by David (199.60.107.1) on June 10, 2003 at 16:00:27:
I got the following email post-attempt
From: "Josh Nespiak" I have to ask though, is that a fact or just a rumor, or was it hoaxed
Date: Thu Jun 5, 2003 10:25pm
Subject: Over balanced wheel?
Quite some time ago some one said there was a science fair entry
that used a
bike hub and rim with elastics as spokes. A heat lamp would heat one
side of
the wheel/elastics and contract that side of elastics and that would
over
balance the wheel and make it keep turning.
some
how?
=====================
I heard that too and I think it is true. Actually I heard of a number of
PMM designs like that that are possible. Thing is that they all take a
conventional energy source. The science fair entry wouldn't break the
second law of thermo which is to say that with out both a cold and hot
side, it wouldn't work. The idea is still very creative even though the
conversion efficiency and real power out would be very low. A sterling
engine is a more efficient way of turning a small heat differential into
motive power.
There is also those little globe things with the white and black
paddle wheels. Maybe they work by the very tiny relativistic mass of
photons hitting - but I'm not sure of the effect there.
Eric