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Lecture series1 lecture

Toy Models and Model Toys: The Mathematics of Surprises and the Art of Modelling

Professor Alain Goriely FRS · Gresham College

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About

A cracking whip is invariably surprising. What generates such a stunning sound? In this lecture, through simple demonstrations of whips and chains on a pulley, Professor Goriely builds simple models to explain the extreme acceleration that takes place in the motion of ropes.In particular, he shows how these models have solutions that blow up to infinity and learns, like the dinosaurs did, how to tame these infinities to produce a stunning crack.

Lectures

  1. Cracking the Whip: Strings, Chains and Dinosaurs 2026-09-15 · Audio

Credits and licence

Institution
Gresham College
Speaker
Professor Alain Goriely FRS
Year
2026
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Mathematics, Physics
Source
Gresham College
Licence
Educational use (Gresham College's terms), as Gresham College states it. Gresham College's terms
Attribution
Gresham College states: "We positively encourage the use of the Gresham College lecture transcripts, audio and video files for educational purposes. However, we do not allow use of Gresham College materials for commercial, personal or institutional gain."
Who can watch
Gresham College gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Tweens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed