the brianteaser in the restaurant - The Manhattan Project (1986) Discussion

[–] Dillzz 19 years ago

I think its kind of silly...

4 balls in 4 tracks that form an X pattern inside a square box. Im guessing that the objective is to get all 4 balls into the far corners of the square at the same time. Normally you would try to tilt it but then balls on one side would fall to the edges and balls on the other side would fall to the center.

His solution is to spin the box and centripetal force pushes all 4 balls out to the edge.

Im almost certain thats what it is...hope the explanation was clear.

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[–] crmasure 19 years ago

Exactly, except that it was CENTRIFUGAL, not centripital force. Centrifugal is the "fictional" (due to constant change in direction, it's actually accelerating even if the speed is not changing) "fictional" force and centripital is inward.

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[–] Dillzz 18 years ago

ughh youre right...centrifugal...I guess one more piece of disinformation wont make the internet collapse in on itself

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[–] andrewmckee228 18 years ago

No centripital force is correct. It is the tendency to move in the same direction, however the outside force, or constrint pushes them outward. Centriful force is ficticious, it is centripital force.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Kalen-2 18 years ago

They had this same brainteaser game in the Bill Murray movie Scrooged. His secrectary's daughter solves it.

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[–] oldtiger1965 18 years ago

Any General Physics student should be able to answer this!

This toy has been shown in another movie. Ah! Scrooged, with Bill Murray.

It is due to Newton's First Law, in the absence of any forces the balls tend to go in a straight line. Each ball has a vector tangential to its circular motion, when each ball falls into the hole, the edge provides the necessary centripetal force for the ball to move in a circular path.

While the disk is spinning and the balls free to move there are no forces acting on them (other than the balanced forces due to gravity and the normal force)!

There is no centripetal force until the ball falls in a hole or goes to the edge. Centrifugal force is the layman's explanation for the ball to seem to "want to" flee.

Salvadoreño by birth. American by the Grace of God.

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[–] marcellis_robinson 18 years ago

What the heck are you talking about? Maybe you should go back and read the chapter on motion in non-inertial frames.

kris-209 has the right explanation.

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[–] pchic 18 years ago

Actually, I believe it was Scrooge's secretary's (Alfre Woodard) SON - not daughter. He (the son) hadn't spoken for most of his life...it was during Scrooge's visit by the Ghost of Christmas Future (I think) that the boy spun the puzzle (again, [I think]) while he was being mentally evaluated by a psychotherapist due to him not speaking for so many years. Even Scrooge commented on how smart he was.

Remember, opinions are like ***holes; everyones got one... some stink more than others!

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[–] HyperPup 18 years ago

Yes! But that puzzle had a small round sticker of a swirl in its center, which to someone of average intelligence could probably deduce was an incentive to spin the puzzle.

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[–] rmax304823 18 years ago

What's to keep two balls from rolling down the same channel? Or all four balls? How can the kid be so damme sure? Why is he so cocky and snooty about it, dripping with contempt? (I don't like the kid.)

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] pbl1 18 years ago

yes, and you're projecting your snootiness and contempt on the last poster -- probably based on your resentments. My guess is you feel inferior to their post.

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[–] arobinsn 18 years ago

The puzzle had four separate chambers, as you can see in the establishing shots before he spins it round. So no way for the balls to go down the wrong chamber.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] naash-1 17 years ago

My question is why has no one noted the main heading line "the brianteaser".
There was not one scene where Brian had been teased in this movie.

brianteaser-brAInteaser

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[–] neotruelove 16 years ago

son, not daughter

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[–] zombi_catgrrl_from_planetx 16 years ago

I really enjoyed this entire thread, thanks guys :-D

www.myspace.com/scumbalinascinema

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[–] skatinlovin 16 years ago

the brainteaser is here: http://www.creativecrafthouse.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=490

in case you actually wanted to find somewhere to see it.

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[–] 16 years ago

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