Museum of Science and Industry

Named for Sir Isaac himself, the Newton’s Cradle is more commonly known as an “executive desktop toy.” Perhaps that's because it's mesmerizing to watch this live demonstration of Newton’s laws of motion even in its miniature versions. Now try this giant Newton's Cradle: a row of seven bowling-ball-sized spheres, suspended by cables from the ceiling. At the control console, you select the number of spheres to mechanically draw back and release. Concepts like conservation of momentum, collisions and energy transfer become tangible in this fun device, whether you call it "Newton's Cradle" or simply "that giant desk toy."