Magnetic Marbles' Mantras: Dipole Clusters, Catastrophe Machines, and Irrational Gears

Description

Abstract (English)

Spherical magnets are an invaluable but affordable physics toy! While vividly demonstrating chemical, physical and mathematical problems, they can also greatly inspire creativity: Questions concerning the favoured state of dipole cluster configurations lead – via an encounter with tipping points – to the invention of magnetic gears based on degenerate continua. Open source animations and patent-free hardware to play with shall garnish this triptychon.