Resistive method for measuring the disintegration speed of Prince Rupert's drops

Abstract

We have successfully applied the resistance grid technique to measure the disintegration speed in special type of glass objects, widely known as Prince Rupert's drops. We use a digital oscilloscope and a simple electrical circuit, glued to the surface of the drops, to detect the voltage changes, corresponding to the breaks in the specific parts of the drops. The results obtained using this method are in good qualitative and quantitative agreement with theoretical predictions and previously published data. Moreover, the proposed experimental setup doesn't include any expensive equipment (such as a high-speed camera) and can therefore be widely used in high schools and universities.