1. What They See:
The magician displays an aluminum tube about ten inches in length
and a small brass block which easily fits into the tube. A spectator is
invited to hold the tube vertically with one hand and drop the block
into the top and then catch it at the bottom of the tube with the same
hand. The spectator drops the block into the tube and it falls to the
bottom in less than one second
. Whether or not he caught it, the
magician explains that he will make the task easier by removing
gravity's pull inside the tube.
Incredibly, this time, the block can be seen floating slowly through
the tube! In fact, the spectator's hand is waiting for the block to drop
into it.
Finally, the magician restores gravity to the tube. The block is
dropped again and shoots through the tube quickly.