What Is Perpetual Motion?

Perpetual motion is a theoretical notion that drives inventors to attempt to create machines that continue on forever. But creating a perpetual motion machine is impossible.

Potential for Perpetual Motion

Newton's First Law of Motion dictates an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon. This might seem like evidence for the possibility of perpetual motion, but the idea of a place where objects can move without being affected by friction is purely hypothetical.

Perpetual Motion Machines

Many have attempted to invent machines that display perpetual motion and continue on forever. While some of these are sincere efforts, others are frauds and hoaxes to gain attention or money from investors.

History of Perpetual Motion Machines

The attempt to create a machine that perpetuates itself is an old one, with one of the earliest examples coming from the Indian Bhaskara in the 12th century. Leonardo da Vinci attempted several drawings of potential perpetual motion machines but never tested most of them.

The Laws of Thermodynamics

The first two Laws of Thermodynamics forbid the possibility of creating a perpetual motion machine. The first law dictates energy cannot be created or destroyed, while the second states a cyclical process needs energy put into it to continue or entropy will increase, bringing the state of the cycle toward equilibrium.

Potential Use

A successful perpetual motion machine, were it not impossible because of the Laws of Thermodynamics, could have use as method of obtaining free energy. This desire for free energy is a common way for people to defraud others into investing in a device that won't work.

References

• MadSci FAQ
• History of Perpetual Motion and Free Energy Machines

Resources

• The Museum of Unworkable Devices