Uploaded April 2013 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Inspired by Christiaan Huygens’ 1665 observation of pendulum clocks synchronizing via shared frame motion, this experiment explores mechanical coupling in electrostatic systems.
Two electrostatic cyclotrons—each with a 0.5" aluminum ball—are mounted on a freely rolling platform and charged with 12 kV toward a central electrode.
The balls rotate at equal RPM and consistently synchronize 180 degrees out of phase, even after deliberate disturbances. Inductive interaction is ruled out due to the 3.5" separation between the balls, which exceeds their 1.8" diameter—ensuring dominant internal forces.
This video demonstrates how shared mechanical degrees of freedom enable phase-locking behavior in electrostatic oscillators. It is the final entry in a three-part series on synchronization phenomena, following tests with metronomes and other oscillator configurations.
Explore more Huygens-style phase-locking demonstrations at:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCbYhDNjOviGPxYboeCqwggh3P2QjKkmm
#electrostaticmotor #PhaseLocking #CoupledOscillators #huygens
Inspired by Christiaan Huygens’ 1665 observation of pendulum clocks synchronizing via shared frame motion, this experiment explores mechanical coupling in electrostatic systems.
Two electrostatic cyclotrons—each with a 0.5" aluminum ball—are mounted on a freely rolling platform and charged with 12 kV toward a central electrode.
The balls rotate at equal RPM and consistently synchronize 180 degrees out of phase, even after deliberate disturbances. Inductive interaction is ruled out due to the 3.5" separation between the balls, which exceeds their 1.8" diameter—ensuring dominant internal forces.
This video demonstrates how shared mechanical degrees of freedom enable phase-locking behavior in electrostatic oscillators. It is the final entry in a three-part series on synchronization phenomena, following tests with metronomes and other oscillator configurations.
Explore more Huygens-style phase-locking demonstrations at:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCbYhDNjOviGPxYboeCqwggh3P2QjKkmm
#electrostaticmotor #PhaseLocking #CoupledOscillators #huygens
