# Friday Math movie - Kinetic Wave Sculptures

By Murray Bourne, 15 May 2009

Here's some delightful math in art.

Much of Reuben Margolin's kinetic wave scultures are based on sine curves and periodic motion.

This is something that is missing in most math classes. Students don't get an opportunity to make things. They would get a much better sense of how math is used in the "real world" if they created some physical objects, especially ones that move like the art in this movie.

Reuben Margolin, a Bay Area visionary and longtime maker, creates totally singular techno-kinetic wave sculptures. Using everything from wood to cardboard to found and salvaged objects, Reubens artwork is diverse, with sculptures ranging from tiny to looming, motorized to hand-cranked. Focusing on natural elements like a discrete water droplet or a powerful ocean eddy, his work is elegant and hypnotic. Also, learn how ocean waves can power our future.

There's a short plug for wave-based energy at the end. I wish them well!

Be the first to comment below.

### Comment Preview

HTML: You can use simple tags like <b>, <a href="...">, etc.

To enter math, you can can either:

1. Use simple calculator-like input in the following format (surround your math in backticks, or qq on tablet or phone):
a^2 = sqrt(b^2 + c^2)
(See more on ASCIIMath syntax); or
2. Use simple LaTeX in the following format. Surround your math with $$ and $$.
$$\int g dx = \sqrt{\frac{a}{b}}$$
(This is standard simple LaTeX.)

NOTE: You can mix both types of math entry in your comment.