[Phys-l] nifty vibration isolation (was: universal gravitation lab)

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 02/12/2007 01:32 PM, Roger Haar wrote:

> 	Once, I poured a 6" thick pad on concrete on top of a small Steelcase 
> desk.  I had planned to add vibration damping pads between the concrete 
> and the desk, but the faculty member was happy  without this addition 
> for his atomic force microscope.  ( I made a form, placed it on the 
> desk, and mixed up seven bag of concrete mix.  I figure it is 350-400 
> lb)  The story is if you can decouple a little bit from the source of 
> vibrations, mass usually helps.
>
> 	One could also try the methods in John Strong's  classic, "Procedures 
> in Experimental Physics".

Sure, mass helps.

Having a really floppy spring helps just as much.  Until
recently I thought pneumatic isolators were the way to go.
However......

I recently learned of a truly nifty piece of physics that
allows a spring to be floppy /out of proportion/ to its
length.  This is a significant departure from "classic"
methods.

I just love stuff like this:
  http://www.minusk.com/content/technology/how-it-works.html