Talk:Gömböc

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What is the origin of the name? Rigadoun (talk) 18:53, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

I'm trying to find a source for this. "Gombóc" is the Hungarian word for "dumpling", (although the shape seems to be spelt "Gömböc" in Hungarian). --Canley 00:05, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

"Gömböc" in Hungarian is a folklore figure, rather fat. "Gömb" means sphere, and "Gömböc" refers to a sphere-like object. The mathematical "Gömböc" described in this page appears to have some connection to the sphere. One can define the "flatness" (F) and "thickness" (T) of convex 3D objects. According to the definition given in Várkonyi & Domokos (2007), for both properties the minimal value is 1, the sphere has F=T=1 and the only nondegenerate type of object sharing this property is the "Gömböc". --Domokos 24 February 2007

How does it behave when spun around its vertical axis? Anything like the Flip-over top? Leob 00:06, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Hmm

Where can I buy one? Capuchin 13:41, 24 July 2007 (UTC)

I too require one. --NEMT 23:46, 24 July 2007 (UTC)
From what I hear, the only way to get one is to download the description (from where?) to your 3D printer. —Tamfang 07:44, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

There seems to be a site under development at www.gomboc.eu linked from Gábor's Domokos personal homepage. It looks like commercial products are in development. DanBri (talk) 18:56, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

Currently you can get a numbered model for €1000 and up (depending on the number you choose), or a 3D picture of one embedded in a cube. It ought to be easy to mold, so there ought to be cheaper ones soon. —Tamfang (talk) 19:10, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] artificial

What does the word "artificial" mean in the context of the introduction? Is it a specific classification of shapes, or merely meant to indicate that it is a shape specifically designed for a purpose? --Starwed 08:53, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

I believe the latter. Capuchin 10:00, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Up to similarity they are unique

This puzzling sentence needs to be made into intelligible English. I have given it a try in the article, "Except for similar figures, it is unique" but am not sure this was meant (as far as I understand, there are probably other, non-similar mono-monostatic bodies). Can anyone improve on this? Hgilbert 00:59, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] unistable polyhedron

It is conjectured that there also exist convex polyhedra with just one stable face and one unstable point of equilibrium. The minimum number of faces could be large.

Richard K. Guy and Ken Knowlton found an unistable polyhedron circa 1959, with 19 faces. Or did I misunderstand something? —Tamfang 07:49, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

Yes, the unistable polyhedron you talk about has indeed only one stable point of equilibrium but has also three points of unstable equilibrium but what is conjectured is a convex polyhedra with just one stable face and one unstable point of equilibrium. So this polyhedra don't match the challenge.
— Zertrin (blabla) 10:27, 14 April 2008 (UTC)
Oh? One is obvious; what are the other two? —Tamfang (talk) 17:48, 14 April 2008 (UTC)
In fact you have the first on the opposed edge of the stable face and the two other are at the both tips the most distant. You can see it there : [1]. Zertrin (blabla) 18:26, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
*forehead slap* —Tamfang (talk) 03:17, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] What is the correct Hungarian plural of the word?

gömbcök? gömböcök? or gömböcek? -andy 78.51.73.91 (talk) 00:31, 3 June 2008 (UTC)