"Building an engine that operates at extremely low speed is a scientific and engineering challenge no less complicated than building a high-speed engine," explains one of the initiators of the competition and course lecturer Dr. Nadav Katz.
For several years now, the students of the physics department at the Hebrew University studying the introductory course "Electricity and Magnetism" have been applying the complicated formulas taught in the classes in a competition at the end of the semester to build engines. However, while in previous years the winner of the competition was the student who managed to build the fastest engine, this year the task was actually the opposite - building an engine that would run as slowly as possible.
Over eighty students gathered this month in one of the halls on the Edmond Y. Safra campus in Givat Ram in the hope of presenting the slowest rotating engine of all and winning the coveted prize - a festive meal with the course instructors at the university's faculty club. "Building an engine that operates at extremely low speed is a scientific and engineering challenge no less complicated than building a high-speed engine," explains one of the initiators of the competition and course lecturer Dr. Nadav Katz. "The students used the same physical principles that are used to build a fast engine, but had to go to the opposite extreme and show quite a bit of creativity."
According to Dr. Katz, who teaches the course together with Dr. Hagai Isenberg, "in recent weeks there has been quite a bit of enthusiasm among the students regarding the competition and although they were not obligated to participate, many dozens of them accepted the challenge and built engines. Katz adds: "The students tried to squeeze tips from the course team on how to build a slow engine, but in practice there is no one right way to build such an engine and there is no single solution. Our goal was not to limit the students but to give them free rein to run wild with their ideas."
Dr. Katz adds that besides the desire to challenge the students, one of the reasons for holding the competition was the desire of the course staff to add spice and interest to the teaching work. "There is no doubt that it is nicer and more interesting to come into more personal contact with the students, as such a competition allows. The decision to change the purpose of the competition this year contributed to our curiosity and there is no doubt that the students surprised us with successful and creative engines".
After testing the speed of each of the engines that participated in the competition, it was found that the student Eyal Abramowitz, who built an engine that completes one revolution only every hour and a half, is the undisputed winner of the competition to build the slowest engine. By doing so, Abramowitz won worldwide fame and a celebratory meal with the instructors of the course.
13 תגובות
Shame and shame!
I was there, and I had the best engine, but no one believed me because it makes a turn once in a million years. The lecturers claimed that he does not move around at all.
Those who need proof can go to my site, #1 in the world in slow loading.
the address:
about: blank
A photon driven engine would be very slow
Almost any engine that is invested in tar will turn slowly, you can also invest in resins or any amorphous material that does not become solid, even glass
Also, a normal stepper motor like any printer or disc can be accelerated to infinity without limitation by programming
To Yossi
Introduce them to the Earth, which completes a rotation once a year. Or why not the workshop - which is completed once every ten thousand years. Maybe this is also one of your inventions?
I have a patent for an engine that makes a revolution every 300 years who to contact
What tools did they have?
what were the ingredients-
How did the winner do it?
How old are the students?
Super interesting!
Thanks for the news.
Can I get more details?
They were told, friend, slowly, not in a hurry.
Since you were interested, a single AA battery was allowed. So to your question - direct voltage.
Source: I was there.
The engine of a watch is not a slow engine at all. They achieve the slow speed by means of several gears, contrary to what is required in the competition.
Apart from that, there is a lack of data regarding the conditions of the competition, which mainly concern the form of energy supply: direct voltage? Exchange? What is the frequency? Is it allowed to use a pulse generator? What is the power? and so'.
There was a student who brought a watch and he was not accepted on the grounds that he did not make it himself.
There were very precise rules for the competition regarding permitted components, the amount of batteries, magnets, etc.
Well... and let's say you have one of these at home and even let's say it meets the rules of the competition... did you build it yourself?
I don't understand why such an engine wins an award. I have a motor at home that makes a complete revolution in 12 hours and it's called a clock. There is another engine that also operates at a similar speed without hands and is called a digital clock.