Science

Trickster: How Is the Water in This Vid Suspended Mid-Air or Flowing Upward Against Gravity?

See How Water Gets Suspended in Mid Air and Flows Upward in These Viral Videos

It’s a trick that makes it look like someone has pushed pause during a video of a steady stream of water, making droplets appears if they hang in mid-air. But the video by YouTube contributor “mrbibio” is actually a slightly more complicated illusion, similar to that which is achieved with a strobe light.

First, check out the viral video:

io9 explains mrbibio’s secret to how he achieved this phenomenon:

In other words, the camera is shooting at 25 frames per second, which is exactly the same rate that the tube carrying the water is being vibrated by the speaker. Furthermore, the stream of water exiting the tube not only breaks apart into individual droplets, it actually does so in a repeating pattern. As a result, the droplets that form assume a nearly identical shape (and occupy an almost identical point in space) every 1/25th of a second. A slight hiccup in the droplets between 1:49 and 1:56 reveals what happens when the framerate at which the camera is filming falls out of sync with the frequency of the repeating droplet pattern.

See How Water Gets Suspended in Mid Air and Flows Upward in These Viral Videos

See How Water Gets Suspended in Mid Air and Flows Upward in These Viral Videos

In another similar water illusion — there are actually several of these on the Web — water is shown frozen in the air and even seems to go backwards against gravity. The Next Web (via Business Insider) states that the YouTube contributor “brusspup” used a subwoofer with a 24 and 23 Hz sine (Note: Skip to 50 seconds if you want to see the flow go “upward”):

Brusspup writes a similar explanation to the previous video how exactly this works:

Basically your cameras frame rate is synced up with the rate of the vibrations of the water so it appears to be frozen or still. Now if you play a 23 hz sine wave your frame rate will be off just a little compared to the sine wave causing the water to “move backward” or so as it appears. You can play a 25 hz sine wave and cause the water to move slowly forward.

If we’re going to make the strobe light comparison, io9 explains that the “periods of illumination” and darkness that occur with the flashing light make it look like someone is moving slow when in reality they could be moving relatively fast. io9 included this video of the strobe light effect on water to illustrate the point:

[H/T Business Insider]

Comments (55)

1 2
  • RamonPreston
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 6:11pm

    Sound waves and antigravity … looks like somebody has been studying the work of John Hutchinson who uses sound to levitate BOWLING BALLS.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvDcMRKxFOg&feature=fvst

    Report Post » RamonPreston  
  • Spokane Armory
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 3:19pm

    I hate Saturday new cycles.

    Report Post » Spokane Armory  
  • Stoic one
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 1:13pm

    That is certainly more entertaining that an obama speech.

    Report Post » Stoic one  
  • blackyb
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:59pm

    Thank you for your time and presentation. That was very thoughtful of you to care enough to explain what you did.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • drusher
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:04pm

    I invented this effect back in about 1995 and it was first seen at the Splash II show at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. In our show a large coherent flow nozzle was used with a 24hz vibrator speaker. The balls of water came out of the stage, were about 1/2″ in diameter, and made a full arc about 6 feet high. The arc of balls moved forwards and backwards by varying the speed of the strobe light. The audience went nuts over it. There is a photo of it on my web page at aquamationinc dot com. Note: I am not selling anything here — I got out of the fountain business years ago.

    Report Post » drusher  
    • Kaoscontrol
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:36pm

      We’ve seen a similar effect for the last 70 years– when you watch an old western movie and see the stagecoach wheels (seemingly) turning backwards, it’s due to the same phenomena.

      Report Post » Kaoscontrol  
    • tommy1945
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 3:23pm

      1995 ???
      — I used to watch the stagecoach wheels (appear to) go backwards on Black & White TV Westerns back in 1955, during the chase scenes… ‘ same principle.

      Report Post » tommy1945  
  • drusher
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:02pm

    I invented this effect back in about 1995 and it was first seen at the Splash II show at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. In our show a large coherent flow nozzle was used with a 24hz vibrator speaker. The balls of water came out of the stage, were about 1/2″ in diameter, and made a full arc about 6 feet high. The arc of balls moved forwards and backwards by varying the speed of the strobe light. The audience went nuts over it. There is a photo of it on my web page at http://aquamationinc.com/ Note: I am not selling anything here — I got out of the fountain business years ago.

    Report Post » drusher  
  • Unix
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:32am

    I thought these vids were cool man, peace out and all that rot.

    Report Post » Unix  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:36am

    Man, that’s Old as the Hills

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • hi
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:34am

    I’m getting sleepy.

    Report Post » hi  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 8:42am

    .
    You can play a 25 hz sine wave and cause you hand to move slowly forward, then move backwards….

    This guy is a sick puppy…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • Kerstile
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 8:27am

    Stopping to smell the roses is never a waste of time. Art and simple presentations of science: good stuff.

    Report Post » Kerstile  
  • lukerw
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 8:25am

    Now, for real Magic: Water will flow up hill (Thank you, Old Roman Empire)!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Mr.Fitnah
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 4:40am

    What’s the frequency Kenneth ?

    Report Post » Mr.Fitnah  
  • trueamerican40
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:57am

    Man, I just had an acid flashback. Damn those days.

    Report Post » trueamerican40  
    • tltmssc95
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 8:28am

      Even worse, reminded me of the old movies from the ‘50’s where the car wheels and carriage wheels looked like they were turning backwards…that means I a really old.

      Report Post »  
  • Huguenot Descendant
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:52am

    The force?

    Report Post » Huguenot Descendant  
  • 82dAirborne
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:49pm

    “You’re kidding me? This actually went viral and made the news! How stupid is that?”
    I dunno…. It seemed to get your attention. I enjoyed it.

    Report Post » 82dAirborne  
  • Blazeanswerman
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:40pm

    That is really so cool. Really so cool!

    Report Post » Blazeanswerman  
  • tharpdevenport
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:37pm

    So, what — Biden’s brain is moving at one or two frames per second?

    Report Post » tharpdevenport  
  • cuinsong
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:33pm

    You’re kidding me? This actually went viral and made the news! How stupid is that?
    Only a simple high speed camera shot has made the news? I’m impressed. Sure!
    While the country is going down in flames we have time for this crap!

    Report Post » cuinsong  
    • 82dAirborne
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:45pm

      Yes we do have time. If your entire life is politics and doom and gloom you are in REAL trouble. Read the headlines. If it doesn’t interest you – skip it.

      Report Post » 82dAirborne  
    • nelbert
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 5:53am

      @CUINSONG

      If this video and article is such a waste of time, why did you compound that by wasting even more time penning a response?

      Seriously, lighten up. The downward spiral of the world won’t be much affected by the slight distraction offered here.

      Report Post » nelbert  
  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:30pm

    It‘s using the frame rate of the video camera as a poor man’s strobe for strobe photography. By modulating the water flow with the speaker to the same frequency as the camera’s frame rate, repeatable formations of water appear to stop in mid air. ****** the speaker frequency a little bit and the water appears to advance very slowly. Increase the speaker frequency a little bit and the water appears to flow backward very slowly.

    #NoPhysicsDelusions

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:32pm

      ****** = slow down/decrease, not stupid person

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • cookcountypatriot
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:34pm

      exactly…..lol

      Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:35pm

      Actually, I think I got that backwards. I was thinking in terms of the strobe frequency, not the frequency of the phenomenon being photographed. Increase sound frequency would then make the water formation advance slowly, decrease sound frequency would make the water formation back up slowly.

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • cookcountypatriot
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:35pm

      indeed

      Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:39pm

      Like when I drive down the Interstate at night and the streetlights make it seem that the wheels on the car passing me are spinning backwards?

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:39pm

      I’m sooo sleepy.

      It’s still a cool visual, just realize that this method only works through video. To experience it with the naked eye requires a real strobe.

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:41pm

      I meant rims not wheels….

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:47pm

      @Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      “I’m sooo sleepy.”

      Good night, good scientist…. : )

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 12:27am

      The-Monk
      Or the effect that makes wheels on moving cars in movies go backwards, slow down, stand still, go forward slowly.

      Report Post »  
    • TSUNAMI-22
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 3:13am

      It’s called strobing. It can be deadly to helicopter pilots if they unknowingly suffer from epilepsy. Flying at night can strobe the running light reflections off of the rotor blades and cause an epileptic person to suffer from flicker vertigo.

      It’s usually caught before a student goes on a night solo.

      Report Post »  
  • ShyLow
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:30pm

    If I could walk on water… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_blgMC37o If I could find someway to prove….Men do not live on bread and water alone , but by every word that procedeth from the mouth of God…You are in the whale…I wonder if the stereo has 5.1 surround

    Report Post » ShyLow  
  • Itsjusttim
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:17pm

    People really are just like a dumb infatuated cat chasing a flashlight beam or a ball.

    Report Post » Itsjusttim  
  • Itsjusttim
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:16pm

    I just don’t really care, because I think it’s much more amazing to live forever and ever.

    Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Doctor Nordo
      Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:32pm

      But you cared enough to post this completely useless and pointless statement. Thanks.

      Report Post » Doctor Nordo  
    • jespasinthru
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 6:29pm

      You’d get bored. All your friends and relatives would die. You’d see and do everything there is to see and do. Eventually your life would become so totally meaningless that you would beg for death, just to see what everybody else saw.

      Report Post » jespasinthru  
  • N37BU6
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:12pm

    Cool. Same as this:

    http://youtu.be/qgvuQGY946g

    Report Post » N37BU6  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:10pm

    Neat

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love