Chain fountain

How can one make a fountain using a bead chain

Safe­ty pre­cau­tions

None.

Equip­ment

  • 12m bead chain (beads con­nect­ed by short, rigid rods);
  • glass.

Step-by-step in­struc­tions

Ar­range a 12m chain of beads con­nect­ed by rigid rods in a glass, mak­ing sure there are no knots in the chain. It is im­por­tant that the glass is po­si­tioned high­er than the sur­face to which the chain will fall. Leave the end of the chain hang­ing over the edge of the glass. Pull it sharply. One by one, the beads will jump out of the glass, form­ing a foun­tain!

Process de­scrip­tion

The chain's mov­ing seg­ments pull those rest­ing in the glass by in­er­tia, cre­at­ing a self-sus­tain­ing flow of in­ter­con­nect­ed beads. The chain does not touch the edge of the glass, in­stead ris­ing to form a high arc above it.

Try it