Junior Member
Registered: 11-05-09
|
There seems to be a lot of debate on the authenticity of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCeAfKCC2ngBriefly, the video shows how you can make a liquid that when exposed to air, creates small ball shapes. Those that claim that it's fake say he's just using clear marbles.
|
Senior Member
Registered: 12-16-08
|
It's fake. The liquid at the end has the same refractive index as the glass marbles inside the liquid, making the marbles "invisible". The trick is often done in introductory chemistry classes -- a glass test tube is "hidden" inside a beaker full of liquid with the same refractive index as pyrex glass. Turpentine, glycerine, and orange oil all have a refractive index very close to that of pyrex glass, for example.
Here is a nice list of refractive indexes that includes a lot of types of glass and a lot of liquids. Note that refractive index of a liquid can be tweaked a little by heating or cooling it.
|
Senior Member
Registered: 12-16-08
|
|