Destin, the host of "Smarter Every Day," revisits the "Prince Rupert's Drop" experiment, a peculiar piece of glass that is extremely tough but explodes when the tail is nicked. He attempts to recreate an experiment by Robert Hooke, a scientist who studied the drop's properties. Destin uses a two-part epoxy to suspend the drop and then triggers an explosion to observe the spatial fragment distribution of the glass.
Throughout the experiment, Destin faces challenges such as the epoxy solidifying too quickly or not being able to capture the desired footage. Despite these setbacks, he learns about the shock wave propagation and the fragmentation of the glass. On the second day, Destin makes adjustments to the experiment, using bolt cutters to avoid torquing the drop and creating smaller boxes to reduce the amount of epoxy.
The experiment ultimately captures the desired footage, showing the slow-motion explosion of the Prince Rupert's Drop. Destin reflects on the experience, enjoying the process of scientific exploration and the artistic beauty of the experiment's outcome.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The video is about the "Mystery of the Prince Rupert's Drop".
2. Prince Rupert's Drops are made by dripping molten glass into cool water.
3. When the glass hits the water, it freezes and hardens, then contracts as it cools.
4. The outside of the drop is under high compressive stress, while the inside is under high tensile stress.
5. If you hit the outside of the drop with a hammer, it won't break, but if you nick the tail, it will explode.
6. The video's creator, Destin, is trying to recreate an experiment performed by Robert Hooke, one of the first scientists to study Prince Rupert's Drops.
7. Hooke suspended a Prince Rupert's Drop in epoxy, let it harden, and then nicked the tail to study the fragmentation pattern.
8. Destin is using a two-part epoxy to recreate the experiment.
9. The epoxy is mixed and degassed to remove bubbles.
10. Destin is using high-speed cameras to capture the explosion of the Prince Rupert's Drop.
11. The experiment is being performed at Ohr's Hot Glass in Alabama.
12. The video's creator is trying to understand the explosion of the Prince Rupert's Drop and the spatial fragment distribution of the glass.
13. The experiment is repeated several times with different variations to achieve the desired results.
14. The video mentions Robert Hooke's book "Micrographia" and his experiments with Prince Rupert's Drops.
15. The video's creator is sponsored by Brilliant, a platform for learning scientific concepts and STEM subjects.
16. The video ends with an update on the Laminer Flow Fountain and a message about the importance of supporting the sponsor and the channel.