Re: Asymmetrical Newton's Cradle

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

At 01:07 AM 11/8/2003, Leigh, you wrote:
> ///
> "9-17  A collision apparatus is made of a set of n graded masses
> suspended so they are in a horizontal line and not quite in contact
> with one another (see the figure). The first mass is f(m0), the second
> is f^2(m0), and so on, so that the last mass is f^n(m0).  The first
> mass is struck by a particle of mass m0 traveling at a speed v0...."
> ///
> Leigh


The comparison with the frog in the water pot, and the long line
 impedance transformer jump to mind, as they often do, to us geniuses
and out of the box thinkers.

I recall that if the time rate of change of temperature is moderate
enough, the frog may be conveniently boiled, who could easily jump out
 and escape. The rate discontinuity is bearable.

One next remembers that there is an alternative to a quarter wave length
of transmission line. This is a device of specific length and impedance
intermediate between two line sections to be joined  of greatly different
characteristic impedances.

One can instead,  intersperse a length of gradually changing impedance,
which matches the preceding and succeeding sections exactly.
 This has the great advantage of being broad band, so that one is not
limited to a frequency where a quarter wave has a fixed length.

Brian Whatcott   Altus OK