Existing comment:
Mechanical Paradox
third quarter of the 18th century
Italian, Florence
An ingenious instrument used to link theory with observable phenomena, this sophisticated object, the product of both the cabinetmaker's and instrument maker's arts, demonstrates a trick of physics: the double climbing cone (also known as a mechanical paradox). The Habsburg grand dukes of Tuscany commissioned mechanical models like this one from the best artisans in order to confirm their position at the top of the social order and present themselves as dynastic rulers with scientific interests. Video While it seems impossible when viewing the stationary object, the animation here shows how the pair of brass cones rolls from the low end of the frame upward, appearing to defy gravity. The motion is the result of the law of mechanics: as the two cones travel, their resting points shift toward the tips, lowering the center of gravity and drawing them up the incline. During this journey, the tips of the cones descend by about half an inch. |