Pattern Formation in Vertically Vibrated Nails M.Sc. report, unpublished, Sept. 2010. T. Lynn MacDonald Department of Physics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A7.

We report the experimental observation of pattern formation in vertically vibrated nails. Phase diagrams are drawn as a function of packing fraction and signal generator driving voltage for two different aspect ratios. Aspect ratio is shown to affect the states of order observed in the system. We investigate the behaviour of patterns in nails with head-tail orientation in full layers at 100% packing fraction as the driving voltage is increased in increments over time. Calculations of nematic and antiferromagnetic order parameters from data derived using manual and semi-automated nail detection from images taken as a function of driving voltage and time are performed.

• Movie: melting a crystal of nails [YouTube].
• Movie: melting a crystal of nails [Flickr].

Download this paper here:

• Full text [pdf file].

Go back to the Nonlinear Physics Group papers page

The Experimental Nonlinear Physics Group / Dept. of Physics / University of Toronto / 60 St. George St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A7. Phone (416) 978 - 6810