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In the beginning, all that Stephan Schlamminger wanted to do was to write down an equation that would help him obtain a more precise value for G, the gravitational constant that determines the strength of the attraction between massive objects. To gauge that attraction, Schlamminger, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and his colleagues, studied the motion of a so-called torsional pendulum—in this case, a set of masses suspended by a thin wire that periodically twists and untwists instead of periodically swinging back and forth.
The equation that Schlamminger derived provides guidance about how to minimize or quickly dampen the amount by which the wire twists back and forth. If the amount is small, it’s easier to locate and measure the position of the wire, which translates into a more accurate measure of G. Schlamminger was eager to immediately publish the result. But then he got to thinking: The finding would interest only a small number of people, those who measure G using the torsional pendulum method.
Could the equation be applied to other devices?
Turns out he didn’t have to crane very far to find a connection.
Controlling Motion of Crane Loads
Animation shows the carefully timed maneuvers a crane operator must employ to safely deliver a heavy load to the desired destination.
In an article posted online Feb. 17 in the American Journal of Physics, he and his colleagues describe a surprising link between their equation for G and the maneuvers required for crane operators at a const ..
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