Spinning Sphere of Molten Sodium

VeritasiumCited 3× on HN, 2020–2022

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demo · general · evergreen · 2020–2022 on HN

Veritasium shows an experiment from Prof. Dan Lathrop's lab with a spinning sphere of molten sodium, used to study how turbulent convection in Earth's core generates a magnetic field. It is a short demonstration of dynamo physics.

Cited as a visual example of dynamo flows and of the care needed when handling reactive liquid sodium.

Everyday physics & science demos Geology & earth science #moltensodium #earth'smagneticfield #dynamo #convection

3 comments from Hacker News

@cryptonector2022-04 · in “Utilities Want to Convert Coal Plants to Nuclear; Skeptics Abound”

Considering our very recent understanding of sodium Coulombic explosions[0], using liquid sodium for... anything requires an enormous amount of care[1]. [0] link [1] ▶ this video

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@willis9362021-09 · in “Earth’s inner core is growing unevenly. Why isn’t the planet tipping?”

I thought it was well-accepted that current flows and their resultant magnetic fields were the dominant forces in the Earth's core. Modeling a chaotic dynamo is difficult, but people are working on it. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I am with this article. ▶ this video

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@slavik812020-07 · in “Jpeg2png: Silky smooth JPEG decoding – no more artifacts (2016)”

I don't know about chlorine trifloride, but that is one of the strategies used for reactive substances, like molten sodium: ▶ this video

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