The clock is not actually driven by light, which has a very small
momentum,
but by molecular kinetic energy. The mica sheets are heated on one
side by radiant energy
while their other side stays cool. The thin air in the vessel has a
larger than normal
molecular mean free path length. All molecules are vibrating with
Brownian motion,
when an air molecule impinges on a hot side of the mica
it picks up some kinetic energy, more than if it hit the cool side.
This is enough to give a small thrust.
If you pump the tube down to a hard vacuum then the effect stops.
It still is an interesting clock, but a magnetic field or an
electrostatic field could also
be used to maintain the pendulum.
cheers, Neville Michie
On 12/01/2010, at 8:36 AM, Bill S wrote:
There is actually an "optically pumped" pendulum clock that was
designed by Betrisy called the Chronolith. Conceptually really
interesting. You can see it on his website: http://www.betrisey.ch/
echronolit.htm
Bill S
J. Forster wrote:
Maybe you could "pump" the pendulum optically, using a beam of
light, like
those glass bulb "radiometers" they sell that spin on a sunny window
ledge.
-John
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