Abstract
The cobra wave is a popular physical phenomenon arising from the explosion of a metastable grillage made of popsicle sticks. The sticks are expelled from the mesh by releasing the elastic energy stored during the weaving of the structure. Here we analyze both experimentally and theoretically the propagation of the wave front depending on the properties of the sticks and the pattern of the mesh. We show that its velocity and its shape are directly related to the recoil imparted to the structure by the expelled sticks. Finally, we show that the cobra wave can only exist for a narrow range of parameters constrained by gravity and rupture of the sticks.
- Received 23 February 2017
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.084301
© 2017 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Focus
Video—Cobra Wave Explained
Published 25 August 2017
High-speed video of the dramatic “cobra wave” produced by a latticework of popsicle sticks helped researchers explain the shape and speed of the wave.
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