The Gravitational Fish Tank

1. Resumen
2. Introduction
3. Design
4. Experiment
6. Conclusions
7. References

RESUMEN

Se diseñó un arreglo experimental
distinto del de Cavendish, con objeto de verificar la interacción gravitacional entre masas
distintas; encontrándose: una región de
repulsión gravitacional; un punto de nula
interacción; y más allá, una región
de atracción gravitacional. Se supuso una
relación universal constante entre el producto del
cuadrado de las masas de cada planeta por su respectiva
distancia al sol y se introdujo la idea que el momento angular
para todos y cada uno de los planetas es
una constante maxima para el sistema
solar. Se descubrió que los resultados
numéricos obtenidos para las masas de cada planeta bajo
las consideraciones anteriores, son idénticos para cada
planeta del sistema
solar.

A B S T R A C T

An experimental arrangement different from that of
Cavendish was designed with the objective to verify the
gravitational interaction between different masses. The
experiment showed a gravitational repulsion area, a point of no
interaction and a gravitational attraction area. It was
supposed that there exists a constant universal ratio between
the product of the square of the masses of each planet and its
respective distance from the sun, and that the angular momentum
is a maximum constant for the solar system. It was discovered
that the numeric results obtained for the masses of each planet
of the solar system under the above considerations are
identical for every planet of the solar system.

Key Words: A CAVENDISH DISTINCT METHOD;
GRAVITATIONAL REPULSION; MASSES OF THE PLANETS.

1. Isaac Newton
   proposed that every gravitational interaction between two
   bodies with masses M and m, separate by a distance (R )
   between their mass centers will always be of an attracting
   nature and that the attraction force (F) is equal
   to:

     (1)

   Where G represents the universal gravitation
   constant.

2. INTRODUCTION

   The arrangement of our experiment is shown on Figure
   1: Gravitational Fish Tank. It consists of a 16 m long, 40 cm
   high and 38 cm wide fish tank Three disks of the following
   masses M = 3.269 Kg; m2 = 0.923 Kg and
   m1 = 0.495 Kg were produced out from three
   one-inch wide wrought iron strips formed to a ring by welding
   of a diameter of 30, 15 and 10 inches.

   A one inch wide wrought iron support was then placed
   perpendicularly on the inner face of each ring. An orifice
   was then drilled on each one of these structures and a 3/8"
   nut welded on it. Finally, each structure was covered with
   mortar by taking care not to obstruct the thread of the nut
   at the inner face of each disk.

   Also, a metallic base made of a ½" thick
   wrought iron plate of 12 x 6" with a strip at the center of
   the square made also out of a ½" wide wrought
   iron.

   Finally, a screw of two inches in length and 3/8
   inch thread was welded to the center of said base, where
   masses m1 and m2 may be screwed onto
   individually. A styrofoam floating body was included with and
   eighteen by seven inch base and three inches in
   thickness.

   A metal base was placed on this floating body; first
   with m1 and then m2. Along the exact
   center of the fish tank, a metal support was included on
   which M was suspended with an inextensible thread tied to M
   from a two inch screw. Mass M was suspended above the
   tank’s water level (which was 12 cm deep), taking care
   that the center of mass of m1 and m2
   coincide with that of M.

   Finally, a tape with centimeter graduation was
   adhered to the external face of the fish tank.

3. DESIGN

   When mass m1 approached mass M (from
   either side), gravitational repulsion occurred, such that the
   floating body experienced an acceleration that decreased
   steadily until it reached 2.54 meters; this was the point of
   zero interaction for m1.

   The floating body was then moved away and
   gravitational attraction was observed; again up to exactly
   R01=2.54 meters.

   Mass m2 was then experimented on, such
   that when this body was approached to M, gravitational
   repulsion was observed, similarly to the effect on
   m1, except that the acceleration effect was less
   apparent, reaching 0.73 meters as the point of zero
   interaction of m2.

   The floating body was then moved away and
   gravitational attraction was observed; until again it reached
   R02=0.73 meters.

4. EXPERIMENT