Fun with Polyethylene Glycol

The host of The Action Lab (previously at Neatorama) makes entertainment out of the properties of Polyethylene glycol. It's a substance made of long stringy molecules that cohere so well that they defy gravity. A good basic video of this property is at Geeks Are Sexy. In this later video, he tests those properties in Robert Boyle's self flowing flask. Can he make a perpetual motion machine out of the goop and the flask?

(YouTube link)

Well, perpetual motion devices have enemies: inertia, gravity, air, friction, and some other laws that creep in if you ever defeat the big four. Polyethylene glycol is no miracle substance, unless you're severely constipated. But it can be fun to play with.


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