Ellipse Focus

Mobile Science Museum · Mathematics

Operation: Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Repeated experiments consistently result in a hit. Function Overview: The exhibit consists of an elliptical tabletop and a ring. Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Scientific Principle: Why does it always hit after repeated experiments? Light emitted from one focus of an ellipse, after reflecting off the ellipse's edge, will converge at the other focus. This is the optical property of an ellipse. Therefore, no matter which direction the ring is launched, after bouncing off the elliptical edge, it will hit the target at the other focus. To obtain the strongest light where the film passes through in a film projector, this optical property of the ellipse is utilized by placing the spotlight filament at one focus of an elliptical reflector.

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• China Science and Technology Museum Standard Edition CSTM Standard Edition
  Dimensions (unit: m): 0.75×0.68×0.82 Brand: KexMall Model: PopsciCat-Mobile-091 1. Materials: ① Base: Flame-retardant ABS injection molding, thickness ≧4mm ② Tabletop: Compact laminate, thickness ≧12mm ③ Instruction plate: Acrylic UV printing ④ Tabletop fasteners: Standard triangular locks ⑤ Elliptical track: Orange acrylic, thickness 30mm ⑥ Ring: Polytetrafluoroethylene ⑦ Base plate: Tempered glass + UV printing 2. Main configuration: None 3. Energy requirement: Not required

  Operation: Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Repeated experiments consistently result in a hit. Function Overview: The exhibit consists of an elliptical tabletop and a ring. Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Scientific Principle: Why does it always hit after repeated experiments? Light emitted from one focus of an ellipse, after reflecting off the ellipse's edge, will converge at the other focus. This is the optical property of an ellipse. Therefore, no matter which direction the ring is launched, after bouncing off the elliptical edge, it will hit the target at the other focus. To obtain the strongest light where the film passes through in a film projector, this optical property of the ellipse is utilized by placing the spotlight filament at one focus of an elliptical reflector.

• Optimized Popular Edition Optimized Edition
  Dimensions (unit: m): 0.75×0.68×0.82 Brand: KexMall Model: PopsciCat-Mobile-091 1. Materials: ① Base: Flame-retardant ABS injection molding, thickness ≧4mm ② Tabletop: Compact laminate, thickness ≧12mm ③ Instruction plate: Acrylic UV printing ④ Tabletop fasteners: Standard triangular locks ⑤ Elliptical track: Orange acrylic, thickness 30mm ⑥ Ring: Polytetrafluoroethylene ⑦ Base plate: Tempered glass + UV printing 2. Main configuration: None 3. Energy requirement: Not required

  Operation: Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Repeated experiments consistently result in a hit. Function Overview: The exhibit consists of an elliptical tabletop and a ring. Place the ring at one focus of the ellipse and launch it in any direction. After bouncing off the surrounding panels, it will always hit the target at the other focus. Scientific Principle: Why does it always hit after repeated experiments? Light emitted from one focus of an ellipse, after reflecting off the ellipse's edge, will converge at the other focus. This is the optical property of an ellipse. Therefore, no matter which direction the ring is launched, after bouncing off the elliptical edge, it will hit the target at the other focus. To obtain the strongest light where the film passes through in a film projector, this optical property of the ellipse is utilized by placing the spotlight filament at one focus of an elliptical reflector.

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