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Re: [Phys-l] jumping bean

On 12/19/2007 10:46 AM, Anthony Lapinski asked:

Does anyone know how a Mexican jumping bean works? I believe there is
an insect larva inside that can jump. How, then, does the bean rise upward
since the forces are internal (and thus momentum is conserved)?

In my experience, they don't jump. They just sorta wiggle around.

Imagine a hamster in a hamster-ball, then scale down the picture.
No mystery.