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We have a double gravity wells that use pool cue balls (not five pounds,
but heavy-ish). There are little ramps to roll the balls at different
angles onto the edges of the wells. Except for the occasional three year
old dropping a ball onto the carpet and it rolling away, I can't
remember there ever being an issue with the balls. It's been on the
floor for at least ten years. Right now it is close to a mirrored wall.
Nothing has been broken.


Kristie M. Mazzoni
Planetarium Director
Travelers Science Dome at the Gengras Planetarium
The Children's Museum 
950 Trout Brook Drive
West Hartford CT 06119
 
(860) 231-2830 x40
 
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Doug Johnson
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 2:49 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Warping Space Exhibit Safety

ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
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*****

Greetings,
We are currently working on a exhibit that illustrates space in 3-D. The
concept is borrowed from the Einstein exhibit "Space-Time Table". Its
essentially a rubber sheet showing the "X" and "Y" axis. Guests place
spheres of different size and density on the grid to form a "Z" axis. My
question is one of safety. Often times when an exhibit is being
developed we have to ask ourselves "How will the 1% of guests use or
abuse the exhibit in a way that is harmful to themselves, other guests
or the facility." With that being said, has anyone had experience with a
exhibit that used loose spheres weighing up to 5-7 pounds? If so, what
was used to promote proper usage of the exhibit? We really do not want
to tether the spheres due to tangling issues and lack of freedom to
explore the different properties of "curved or bent" space. Any input
would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
-Doug

Doug Johnson
Exhibit Developer
Orlando Science Center
407.514.2031
[log in to unmask] 

Inspire science learning for life



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