3000 ball bearings show crystal defects with Matt Parker

Watch Matt's video here: • Calculating the optima...
I recreated an old desk toy called Atomix to demonstrate crystal defects like vacancies, grain boundaries and stacking faults. We touch a little bit on close packing problems in mathematics. That's what Matt's video is all about.
Visit my blog here: stevemould.com
Follow me on twitter here: / moulds
Buy nerdy maths things here: mathsgear.co.uk

[@WtbgoldBlogspot]

Matt's smug smile after "nope, not 1, that's a different number" completely made my day.

[@B3Band]

I like how Steve's video says "with Matt Parker," while Matt's video title says "with oranges." Says it all, doesn't it?

[@BaldAndroid]

All = 2.

[@coolmonkey619]

What does it say exactly

[@phs125]

Thanks, I hate Matt now

[@ivanadriazola1991]

What?

[@genegreigh8782]

Specifically, "defects with Matt Parker." I think that may say a little of it, too.

[@AnonEyeMouse]

Ah... A perfect display of the human condition. Two intelligent men (and a reasonably intelligent comment section) discussing maths and physical laws and trying to understand the beauty in the order of the universe... Whilst constantly defaulting to telling jokes about their balls.

[@SteveMould]

+AnonEyeMouse we're doomed as a species.

[@pluransart1795]

But why the 1k dislikes?

[@tomcollier4089]

as incoherent as it was, it still made perfect sense.

[@alechenson521]

I was going to like the comment but decided to let it stay at 420 for a little longer

[@TheRainHarvester]

I found crystallization using a particle simulation! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2fFeaOAZ6yJZrs

[@Cheesus-Sliced]

2 atoms bump into each other: atom 1: Oh no, I dropped an electron atom 2: are you sure? atom 1: yea, I'm positive

[@khhnator]

BA DUM TSSSSSSsss

[@jamesramplin8124]

@@khhnator i love you

[@garybarbourii8274]

Like the crackhead who helps you look for it, but has it in his pocket.

[@mandelbrot91]

But then it becomes an ion... Sorry

[@pressaltf4forfreevbucks179]

Correct

[@Cr42yguy]

"So occasionally Matt might say some numbers or something like that." "Six." "THAT'S NUMBERWANG!"

[@trickytreyperfected1482]

What

[@Sn0wjunk1e]

@@trickytreyperfected1482 I'm sorry, that is not Numberwang

[@SpySappingMyKeyboard]

Matt demonstrated the 4 stages of grief quite well when he realized that he couldn't complete the lattice.

[@41-Haiku]

I had to go back and check. I loled. X)

[@MikeGFY]

Finally a use for all of my extra ball bearings!! Thanks for the class guys.

[@ranmindyt2902]

2,021

[@dadutchboy2]

@@ranmindyt2902 that is the most cursed way of writing 2021

[@718vox]

@@dadutchboy2 2,013 feels like yesterday

[@entropy5685]

@@718vox that comment feels like it was sent yesterday

[@718vox]

@@entropy5685 perhaps it is... who knows? :O

[@Xeth247]

"I'll just pour this out...of a beaker." I feel like this is an advertisement for beakers, which are superior to other liquid containers.

[@MrMyKidd]

Beakers are for tweakers, I'm living that flasktastic life!

[@Varksterable]

Superior? CONICAL FLASK!!!!

[@katowo6521]

if there's a defect in a crystal, is it a parker crystal?

[@bytefu]

It's a Parker square of a crystal.

[@RosarioLeonardi]

Face centric Parker square packing lattice.

[@vanguarded3264]

I read that as Face centric Parked Square packed lettuce -.-

[@25cj]

That "hair". You got me, winking triclops.

[@therwfer]

That depends. Did it really try?

[@DanielKierkegaardAndersen]

Hahaha, smart move from Matt Parker xD Matt: "6" Steve: "That's a good one" Matt: "No one is a different number"

[@seanehle8323]

I kinda wish he would have said, "No, six makes a terrible one."

[@ZioStalin]

12 is better. Twice as good I'd dare say!

[@Theraot]

Matt: 6 Steve: Oh, that's a good 1 Matt: That's a different number Steve: Wha'ts the difference? Matt: 5

[@kubadzejkob332]

That's such a parker square of a pun.

[@riccardoorlando2262]

Actually, someone might be a different number.

[@sanderhonig8276]

"I stole your electrons, I do apologize" Love it!

[@ManuelBTC21]

That phase transition demo was mind blowing.

[@KnowArt]

Even though I'm a gardener, I didn't know all this about lettuce.

[@dontalkt2meboutheros]

Lattice! The stuff you grow climbers up.

[@trickytreyperfected1482]

@@dontalkt2meboutheros ah, but isn't that technically a trellis?

[@Cevans3535]

As a former metallurgy technician who had to inspect forged metal parts ("spider" gears and other various vehicle gears) on a daily basis, I found this very interesting. It certainly matches the sort of structures I would see under a microscope after polishing and etching the metals. Neat!

[@Heikki_Finland]

I was told that by rolling or forging steel those crystals become flat ribbon like structure and that is what makes the steel stronger in opposite to cast steel of similar material. Is this true, or is there porosity for some other reason that the rolling eliminates?

[@Thematic2177]

@@Heikki_Finland - by rolling or hammering a cold metal you introduce more crystal discontinuities (defects), which make the material harder, but more brittle. It's the same principle as with quenching - by rapidly cooling a metal, you don't give it time to crystallize evenly, so a quenched item has a lot of discontinuties, so it's hard and brittle. You should remember that more hardness is not always better. You want a knife edge to be hard so it stays sharp, but on the other hand - you want structural steel to be flexible so it doesn't shatter in an earthquake.

[@abstractapproach634]

Even us notso lucky can just look at a street sign pole right? Or is the grain like phenomenon different in galvanized steel?

[@jm2340]

I came to this video in my first year of dental school, we were learning about dental materials and there was a BCQ in my test paper regarding "defects" and "vacancies" and I realized I needed to work on my concept there. You guys helped me understand the concept in such an easy visual way, it increased my interest in material science. And now, here I am again, just finished with my final year of dental school, rewatching this video with the same enthusiasm as I did the very first time. These science/educational videos and the people involved in their making have played such an important role in my life, and I'm sure many people feel the same way. So thank you! Thank you for redirecting our thought process, increasing our interest, helping us through our studies, and revolutionising the means of seeking of knowledge. :)

[@hareecionelson5875]

I used to be junior doctor, but the lure of the science and maths trapped me and now I'm a physics undergrad. I love it when biologists lurk in the comment threads, like peering over the fence to spy on the physicists

[@ArsenicDrone]

You can also get Steve's "stacking defect" (a boundary between face-centered cubic, and hexagonal close packing) if you play around with a batch of magnetized balls. It can happen with or without a polarity difference, and in a single layer or across multiple layers.

[@arirahikkala]

Thing I wanted to see: Annealing (shaking the toy progressively softer) to try to make a perfect crystal.

[@SuviTuuliAllan]

Have you ever tried that to make a perfect baby?

[@amneenja5720]

Suvi-Tuuli Allan my dad tried that and my brain dripped out of my ear

[@miskone1044]

+suvi- tuuli allan loll that's save and I love it

[@trigonzobob]

Suvi-Tuuli Allan - What?!? Sounds like you're talking about a crystal made up of babies. No, to make a perfect baby, you obviously need to heat it up really hot and allow it to cool slowly.

[@RolandoGarza]

trigonzobob I thought this was public knowledge (hence the analogies of buns and ovens).

[@thewiseturtle]

I am amused that you seem to have blown your special effects budget making the super fancy replica of that Atomix toy, and then just used a(n opaque) cardboard box for the 3D example. :-)

[@lettersquash]

Despite never having seen (a) transparent cardboard (box), I admire your logical use of parentheses. ;)

[@theshuman100]

To be fair it has etched glass

[@cursedcliff7562]

@@theshuman100 Plexiglass

[@Monkey80llx]

I’m more amused by the ‘meaning’ of the video’s title, thanks to the lack of punctuation. Poor Matt! 😆

[@steelwarrior105]

That defect motion is the definition of plastic deformation. The defect that formed on the line between the two "crystals" is a line defect called a twin boundry. To expound upon the FCC and HCP debate the main difference is the close packing direction which limits the slip directions of HCP, means stiffer and more brittle crystals. Glad to see materials engineering getting some recognition

[@finleycastello6512]

Watching that highly efficient hexagonal packing was absolutely riveting, I must say!

[@earthbjornnahkaimurrao9542]

MFW I am stuck in a loop trying to figure out which video to watch first because both videos reference the other at the start making me think I should watch the other video first but then the other video references this video at the start making me think I should watch this one first!

[@hellterminator]

Watch the simultaneously.

[@bunberrier]

Put the coffee down

[@TheinLinAung]

In addition, one video starts at the end of the other one for both videos.

[@paulfredrickson3041]

Parker Moebius strip, or Parker recursion

[@derekxiaoEvanescentBliss]

Matt: You've got these in a beaker, *looks straight at camera* a beaker. 11:50

[@hamnchee]

I'll ask..... Does beaker mean penis?

[@andrewjohnson6716]

Hahaha I think the joke is just to distinguish from an Erlenmeyer flask which is what most people think a beaker is.

[@coryman125]

@@andrewjohnson6716 It's a bit of a Steve Mould running gag. He discovered if you pour a certain type of chain out of a beaker, it rises up into the air before falling (google Mould Effect to see it). Since then it's become a recurring thing that he pours every unusual substance he uses out of a beaker. Just as Matt does here with the ball bearings :P

[@harrisluo5818]

5:40 Steve: "I don't think they do this in ball pools." Matt: "I do." Steve: * tf Matt? *

[@aaceeshbhattarai]

I got into your videos from veritasium2, and here i am hooked up with your videos. This is the best explanation of crystal defects. Loved your way of explanation!!

[@Halosty45]

100x30 instead of 100x100. Classic Parker Square.

[@d5uncr]

We see the Parker Square at 11:09

[@ZeroKage69]

+

[@andrerenault]

Parker estimation

[@ZeZapatiste]

I like that video, but why do they keep talking about lettuce ?

[@hamnchee]

Because when charged you can see the transition from gas to salad.

[@redbrick341]

Hilarious!

[@ypn.official]

They are talking about "Lattice" not "Lettuce" . . . . . . Bring on the Woooshs

[@LUchesi]

It's my *fault.* Trying to make the *Krusty* Krab more trendy.

[@sriruparoy4946]

Because you lost your electrons

[@benmcdaniel]

Someone should make a video of just Matt Parker's reaction faces. He has the most entertaining facial expressions on the interwebs, and his face is especially entertaining while Steve Mould is talking.

[@Donmegamuffin]

Ive got my 3rd year uni surface physics module exam on monday and so much of this is relevant, and was a timely visualisation of the concepts, wonderful, thank you!

[@M4n10L]

Acrylic will charge negatively, wool positively.

[@Twitchi]

Thank you kind commentator.. I came down here looking for this ;)

[@Hetst]

But does that mean that the balls will charge negatively as well?

[@M4n10L]

Yes, because Steve added some electrons to the whole system.

[@raymondlee1024]

M4n10L aaaand Matt took them away.

[@potatoonastick2239]

Matt the electron thief

[@astjm]

3:42 Bit of a Parker defect

[@tatomar001]

More like a parker analogy

[@tinyturtle1898]

I think steve was hinting this comment when he said "not quite perfect"

[@aldo.d.longhi]

This is great hands-on demonstration and explanation! The other demonstration I would have LOVED to have seen is this: Annealing! Vibrate the entire apparatus slightly - not enough to disrupt the grains but enough to cause some slight motion - and watch the crystal boundaries move and the grains themselves grow.

[@Bobbyo2014]

Love that you guys made the videos match up no matter the order you watch the two videos.

[@davidonfim2381]

14:23 "shut up Matt, this is MY channel!" lol

[@theskeletonposse6432]

I love the banter between Steve and Matt.

[@pabloagsutinnavavieyra2308]

I want to have a frienemy like this two have each other :)

[@myne4]

Their on-screen chemistry is to-die-for!

[@ZimZam131]

not me, it was the only part of the video that made me want to turn it off

[@geejee1255]

Matt looks like " do you believe this shit "

[@nopy.4869]

The shade is sooooooo real over the beaker.

[@martinstensvehagen9161]

Just found this channel. Really nice stuff. love the atmosphere and your examples

[@pgaboury]

Love it when you math & physics channels pair up.

[@Corabeth111]

such good chemistry between you two, love the banter!

[@Masquerola]

3000 ball bearings show crystal defects with Matt Parker? Matt Parker has crystal defects?

[@zachburke8906]

Don't we all tho really

[@Anvilshock]

With Matt, the balls form defects, without him, they may not.

[@eunosmx582]

It's a Parker defect

[@jcortese3300]

1.OMG that phase boundary was awesome! 2. Cubic face packing sounds filthy.

[@richiehoyt8487]

Comment №2 had me in tears!

[@anubhavprakash8150]

I just want to say that your channel is arguably the best channel on Physics, You have a god gifted amazing deep voice that catches my attention and doesn't let it go, and the way you explain is also amazing. Plus your videos are not half-hour videos, one can learn something in only 15 mins or so!

[@episanty]

Totally looking forward to seeing atomix re-creations for sale on mathsgear =D

[@7382932]

Renamed: Matt and Steve play with their balls.

[@nagualdesign]

Description: Two men using their balls to demonstrate cubic face packing.

[@bradirv]

Comment: Renamed: Matt and Steve play with their balls.

[@jjkthebest]

Two guys talking excitedly about their balls is exactly what I needed today.

[@StrayBerserker]

Very neat packing experiment. Effectively explained. The vertical crystal structure created by the 3 lattice choices really help me visualize how DNA structure may have come to be organized.

[@rubixmann]

Hey Steve and Matt! I'm studying both materials science and math in uni, so I was super excited to see this pair of videos! I thought it was kind of funny that I've actually stacked balls in a box just like you guys, but for a class (and therefore a grade). And of course done the working out for atomic packing factor *multiple* times for homework in different classes ;) Anyway, I thought I'd give a suggestion that's kind of relevant to both videos. When I first learned that ABC stacking really is FCC, for me at least, I had trouble seeing where the cubic unit cell was. In Matt's video, I feel he could've been more clear during that part, because what he said seemed (to me) to suggest that the square pyramid base was a face of the cube, but it's not. You outline the square base at 11:10 in this video, and I feel like that would've also been a perfect opportunity to highlight exactly where the FCC unit cell is, and show how it's exactly the unit cell you and Matt construct with oranges, just oriented differently. So I've gone ahead and made this: imgur.com/a/k4oog to hopefully help other people see it too, in case they were confused by that point. Keep up the awesome videos, you guys are hilarious!

[@kirkelicious]

skip to 11:53 if you are only here for the beaker-action.

[@theobserver9131]

You guys have a delightful chemistry together! You could be a world-class science comedy duo!

[@nolanjshettle]

I like how Matt was doing a proper sign off as he would on his channel and Steve was just letting the video end like he always does

[@FinnMcRiangabra]

Materials Science: Thanks for the clearest demonstration of the simple case of our most basic principal. Plus, any video that uses the term, stacking fault, correctly automatically gets a like.

[@landonkryger]

3000 ball bearings? But you said it was 10,000. Were most of them in the beaker?

[@malnutritionboy]

Landon Kryger 3 layers of balls

[@cosmicmatrix6238]

If you look closely you can see it's just one layer. Landon's right! wtf

[@tylergarza6632]

i'm not sure what you're question even is. his guess was 3000, but the actual amount was 10k. nobody said there were only 3000.

[@depressedtv]

Landon is referring to the title of the video; it says 3000. It's clearly click bait. People came here expecting 3000 ball bearings, and it's actually 10,000

[@thebrahmnicboy]

@@depressedtv I was so angry! I counted them and they weren't what they said! Unsubscribe

[@kieranmoon17]

This is great! I just started working with FCC crystals for work and just learned about the fault lines and machining faces!

[@Auchioane]

Really great videos. Nice editing, love how you can watch either video first and it works :)

[@KarlFFF]

This was great! I'll probably use it next time I'm teaching 1st year students in general and inorganic chemistry!

[@MortRotu]

I was taught this at university, but this makes way more sense now. Thank you!

[@prestondenby68]

This is a great tool you've created. Thousands of kids will be inspired and informed by this. You guys are awesome.

[@R0DGES]

Very nice video. Would have been great to see this last year when I studied materials chemistry. I love the ball bearing packing toy. I will have to try to make one. Especially the gas phase ball bearings, it seems to show adsorption of gases onto the surface. It even highlights the different types of physisorption. Either that or an analogy of preorganised water a crystal surface.

[@gigglysamentz2021]

9:11 Cubic face-packing is way too funny XD And the way he says it :'D

[@weckar]

I feel as if I'm stuck in a cycle between these two videos...

[@BloodyRainRang]

I love how Matt's face goes "oh no he didn't..." at 11:34 xD

[@SquanderedYouth]

Never seen or heard of you guys but I like it. Will watch a bit more.

[@catcoder7812]

This is similar to how in the game of Catan/ Settlers of Catan, settlements must have at least one adjacent intersection of 3 hexagons, and so if the players build them 3 sides apart, there are fewer positions to build settlements than if players played optimally to place as many as possible. In the same way, Steve and Matt both placed their balls on the 3rd layer as efficiently as possible until they met each other's regions. Perhaps the game designers of Catan were thinking of crystal defects when they created the rules for the distance between settlements...

[@EdM66410]

Steve's video: with Matt Parker Matt Parkers video: with oranges 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@Chris_Cross]

I love when these two team up

[@KimSE4]

Great stuff! I saw some footage of jet turbine blades being grown as a single crystal because it won't expand when heated. Would love to see visualisation of that process explained to a simpleton like me.

[@Ellyerre]

10:12 That's a classic Parker faze.

[@MidtownSkyport]

mmm, crystal lettuce

[@sirmyself]

I'm a bit disappointed that no one seems to have noticed that Matt's video conclusion was Steve's video's intro and this video's conclusion was Matt's intro. Making both videos a perfect loop where I was having fun trying to guess what was filmed first.

[@addmeok]

By far the most explanatory video I’ve ever watch. 🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@hiqwertyhi]

so if you always have two choices how to pack the next layer... you can encode binary data in a crystal?

[@AdityakrishnaMr]

It would be hard to read and possibly even harder to make, though it would be an extremely reliable long-term data storage

[@therobot1080]

Yea

[@SteveMould]

I'm publishing this then getting on a airplane for 7 hours so no replies from me for a while!

[@Blueice999]

Steve Mould Enjoy your trip!

[@gizmogoose.2486]

I once got on an airplane for *3* *hours* before we finally left for Frankfurt. _Will yours be going somewhere !?!!_

[@mauritz3912]

Lest go wild! We have 5 hours until he is back

[@miscellaneous.7127]

IT'S *"AEROPLANE"* not "airplane"!!!!!!!

[@dg-hughes]

Only 3 hours to go.

[@johnchessant3012]

I had no idea Matt Parker had crystal defects, but thanks for proving it using 3,000 ball bearings

[@logans4329]

It is a perfect analogy for the crystalline structure of metals such as iron. I have been working with that for years, and as a blacksmith I can say it is fundemental to the production process

[@gregoreesmaa]

10:26 So the 3D crystal structure could also go like: ABCCBA - middle layers not packing perfectly? Matt seemed to understand it as ABCBA.

[@SKarthikeyan75]

ABCBA will still lead to close packing...ABCCBA will not. Such packign is not found in real crystals

[@sparkzbarca]

@@SKarthikeyan75 yes it is, that's his point. If your curious why it's found its the same reason the ab vs abc defect is found. Lattices begin forming at multiple points at once and they bump

[@steelwarrior105]

A real stacking fault would be ABCABABC not a reversal of order.

[@Crobisaur]

My graduate research group did work on this, finding good conditions to reduce defects. Really neat to see this pop up!

[@MisterNiles]

Wonderful video. Just discovered you yesterday. I need one of those toys. Had one when I was a kid.

[@JofreyRice]

Love the invocation of graph theory to explain the lattice configuration options!

[@fakshen1973]

Crystal ball packing... what REALLY goes on behind closed doors at the fortune tellers.

[@j.vonhogen9650]

Now that is a very clever joke! Well done!! 😁

[@wilhelmcough]

please observe the two stages proceeding baldness Exhibit a) Steve Exhibit b) Matt

[@k20nutz]

Exhibit c) the balls

[@blairc5428]

Fantastic demonstrations!

[@j.vonhogen9650]

This video is densely packed with cool information. Thanks a lot!

[@beliasphyre3497]

Two grown men playing with their balls... Excellent video.

[@Gyropilot42]

Wait. 3000 or 10000?

[@bartschellings5272]

Alison Sanches Krinski yes, the truth can't be untold!

[@flamespirit919]

This explains crystalline structures and their defects in 14 min so much better than my materials science professor did in a month.

[@Fwacer]

I watched this video last year and thought it was kind of cool. I just am finishing my Properties of Engineering Materials course now (final is tomorrow), and this is much more relevant now! Cool to see that transition.

[@KarlFFF]

That is the tastiest fcc lattice model ever! 2:47 (And it is proof that this was filmed second :D)

[@Nulono]

That would be a solid-liquid phase boundary.

[@jessejohnson9871]

The first ball bearing display was spot on for a metallurgical grain structure etch.

[@A__Dude]

I have a solid-state chemistry exam tomorrow and came back to watch this video. Thanks for the help.

[@ScottLinford]

Take my money. Ball berring toy very satisfying.

[@unvergebeneid]

Three dimensions are too complicated for me. I'm fine down here in Flatland, thank you very much.

[@jamesjenkins9480]

More videos with Matt!

[@ChristiaanCorthals]

awesome practical demo!

[@henk6172]

12:40 why is the wrong number in the title?

[@lettersquash]

Maybe because it's irrelevant and a PITA to change.

[@41-Haiku]

When he asked for an estimate, I looked at the title and felt smug that I already knew and could enjoy the dramatic irony. Turns out the joke was on us.

[@quacking.duck.3243]

Maybe 7000 are in the beaker.

[@lc7269]

IM STUCK IN A RECURSION!!!!! HELP MEEEEE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bytefu]

But you don't have a condition.

[@ABunchOfRandomAnons]

It's okay so long as it's primitive recursive.

[@frechjo]

I'll help! Let me quickly solve the Halting Problem, I'll be right back...

[@EpicHysteria]

Great chemistry between you two

[@behruzsultanov452]

Fascinating! Didn't expect to find such an analogy IRL

[@Godishus]

4:15 I don't think "click bait" in the middle of a video would be very effective. :-p

[@Sorenzo]

I came for the ball bearings. I stayed for the quantum physics.

[@steelwarrior105]

This was a great level 1 look at materials engineering

[@jbrooks1111]

Thank you for posting this. The visual representations helped me tremendously more than text book drawings to understand. I have been studying visual grain inspection and x-ray diffraction to measure crystal orientation to expand my abilities at the foundry I am currently employed with. In addition to the NDT methods I am currently certified in, I feel having grain inspection certifications will be more beneficial to the company and myself. The more I know, the less likely I will need to worry if a layoff is required. Again thanks, this will certainly help me with understanding and allow me to pass the tests.

[@sobreaver]

Quite interesting visual experimenting, help the brain to wrap around the concept more easily.