UK

Fri, 24 Oct 2003
16:30

L2

The paradoxical behaviour of rolling bodies

Keith Moffatt

(UK)

Abstract

Why does a spinning coin come to such a sudden stop? Why does a
spinning hard-boiled egg stand up on its end? And why does the
rattleback rotate happily in one direction but not in the other?
The key mathematical aspects of these familiar dynamical phenomena,
which admit simple table-top demonstration, will be revealed.