Plate trick

Okay kiddo, have you ever seen a magician do a trick where they pull a tablecloth out from under dishes and they don't fall over? That's kind of like the plate trick.

In the plate trick, you take a plate and put it upside down on a table. Then, you tap the center of the plate with a spoon or fork. When you lift up the plate, the spoon or fork magically sticks to the bottom of the plate!

The secret behind this trick is something called physics. See, when you tap the plate, it creates a vibration that travels through the plate and creates what's called a standing wave. This wave is kind of like a wave in a swimming pool - it has a high point (called a crest) and a low point (called a trough).

When you tap the plate, you create a crest in the center. If you tap it just right, this crest will be strong enough to hold the spoon or fork in place. The standing wave actually creates a spot where the spoon or fork can balance without falling.

So, when you lift up the plate, the spoon or fork sticks to the bottom of the plate because the standing wave is holding it there. It's kind of like how a cowgirl can ride a bucking bronco and not fall off - they find the right spot to balance and stay there.

And that, my young friend, is how the plate trick works!