Mechanics/Dynamics/ Motion

Take It From the Top

Simple wooden blocks can be stacked so that the entire top block extends completely past the end of the bottom block seemingly in dramatic defiance of gravity. To achieve this the visitor makes a vertical stack of 16 blocks. The top block can be slid to the side for half of its length and still remain balanced. The top two blocks can then be slid 1/4 of a block length further, the top three 1/6, and so on down the stack. The displacements of the blocks follows a mathematical series. The mathematical series describing the stacked blocks follows a simple pattern.