Happy Holidays!

For the last couple years, I've taken time during finals week (once the exams were graded) to shoot some holiday-themed slow motion video. I had found some clear glass christmas tree ornaments that seemed perfect for smashing. I rigged up a simple "Newtons Cradle" and experimented with just getting them to swing back and forth. The conservation of momentum in these collisions is pretty complex, but fascinating to watch.

I recommend watching this full screen:
 Newton's Cradle from Matt Kuchta on Vimeo.
Mostly filmed at 1,000 fps with memrecam gx-8.

Music by "Live Action Fez" http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Live_Action_Fezz/A_Very_Badgerland_Christmas_2011/Live_Action_Fezz_-_A_Very_Badgerland_Christmas_2011_-_15_Carol_of_the_Bells

The stage was backlit using a sheet of white acrylic and a 500W tungsten lamp.

Satisfying glass ornament carnage.

To get the balls to break predictably, I took a bit of corundum and scratched a little "X" at the impact point.