Gömböc—The Shape That Shouldn't Exist

Hi everyone, some are confused about why there is only one unstable equilibrium on the Gomboc since you can set it along anywhere on the upper edge and it will tip over. An unstable equilibrium is not simply an edge where it will tip over, but it has a specific definition. The equilibrium points are where the derivative of the potential energy of the shape is zero. To see if it is an unstable or stable equilibrium, then you check to see if the second derivative is positive or negative. If the second derivative of the potential energy is negative then it is an unstable equilibrium. If the second derivative is positive it means that the equilibrium stable. Non-mathematically this means that the unstable equilibrium is the point that it theoretically could be balanced because the weight is equal all around the point, but it would fall over at the slightest wind or movement.

"You'll notice that this may look similar to something you've seen in nature" My first thought: .......a rock?..

Title:"Gömböc-The shape that shouldn't exist" Gömböc: cries in shape

"Whats you favorite shape?" "Gömböc" "What?" "g ö m b ö c"

The Gömböc (not gumbock, but more like goem-boetz) was made and designed at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The name itself is kind of a made up word we use in Hungarian for objects with a round-ish shape, but what is not perfectly round like a ball, however it resembles one. Like for example when you're working with dough you can form small "gömböc" from the pastry. Not a perfect ball, but something close.

Everybody gangsta until the gömböc becomes a school subject

Gömböc : A shape that shouldn't exist. Me : Maybe I am a Gömböc.

This is one of those educational videos that is somehow manages to make you more confused than when you started because it assumes you already understand the definition of an equilibrium point.

you must define what equillibrium is in the video more clearly, people are confusing any convex on the shape to be an equillibrium point when they dont get that there has to be balance between each side

Now that's something you see once in your life. And then you forget about it.

"A what?" "Gömböc." "Gesundheit."

Him: now you may notice this looks like something you've seen in nature Me: a rock. Him: a turtle Me: wait wat

If anyone interested, the original “gömböc” is a Hungarian food. Their shape is somewhat similar and the name has a cutesy ring to it (for Hungarians). As for the food it’s not really produced anymore as it’s kinda disgusting by today’s standards (pork intestines filled with blood, meat, skin etc). It’s similar to “head cheese”, a similarly less known food in some parts of Europe. It’s also the antagonist of a horroristic Hungarian folk tale (“Kisgömböc”) where a gömböc decides to run amok and basically eats the whole village alive :)

“you’ll notice that this may look similar to something that you’ve seen in nature” me: ah yes, a walnut “a turtle” me: ah, not a walnut,

This guy pronounces it a different way every time he says it.

There's bound to be a ton of things NASA could use this shape for.

This is very fascinating, the fact that there’s only 2 equilibrium in that somewhat of a shape is truly astonishing. It would be interesting to find, or have as a fun decoration

Hungarian: Gömböc The action lab: GOMPOK

God, I'm glad I'm already done with school, imagine calculating the area of a Gömböc in your finals

I am sorry, but does this gomboc object does not present near infinite number of unstable equilibrium points and only one stable?