The Old New Thing

The physics of a falling Slinky

July 6, 2012 Jul 6, 2012 07/6/12

Raymond Chen

Professor Ted Bunn (no relation), who still gets email about a Black Holes FAQ he wrote over fifteen years ago, recently blogged about what happens when you suspend a Slinky vertically, then let go. No wait, come back. In Part the First, he provides an alternate (but equivalent) explanation for the phenomenon. Allen Downey on his ...