The Science Behind Popular Magic Tricks炫酷魔术背后隐藏的科学

In 1970， American magician Rick Johnsson theorized that when magic tricks seem too perfect， audiences are less impressed and can easily figure out their secrets.

Researchers at the University of London found viewers preferred “perfect” tricks to flawed ones. But consistent with the theory， viewers had an easier time understanding how these tricks were performed.

Johnsson knew in the 20th century few audiences believed magicians had supernatural powers. They knew there is a rational explanation for magic， and its often science.

Whats the science behind popular magic tricks？ Website ScienceABC reveals their secrets. Lets take a look.

1970年，美国魔术师瑞克·约翰逊提出了一个理论：魔术看起来太完美时，观众反而没那么动容了，而且很容易就能破解魔术的秘密。

英国伦敦大学的研究人员发现，比起有瑕疵的魔术，观众更喜欢“完美”的魔术。但与约翰逊的理论一致的是，此时观众更容易理解这些魔术是如何表演的。

约翰逊深知，在20世纪，很少有观众相信魔术师有超自然的力量。他们知道魔术有一个合理的解释，那往往就是科学。

广受欢迎的魔术背后隐藏着什么科学原理？科学ABC网站揭露了这些魔术的秘密。我们一起来看看吧。

Levitating objects

空中飘物

A popular trick is making objects levitate， with smaller objects being especially easy to “fly”. To the viewers， the levitating object may seem to defy gravity， but theres a scientific explanation—quantum physics.

Called quantum or magnetic levitation， the trick involves magnets and freezing cold temperatures. Magicians coat an object in a layer of magnetic paint and place it on top of a superconductor cooled by liquid nitrogen. The opposing forces cause the object to float above the superconductor.

一大熱门魔术是让物体悬浮，小型物体尤其容易“飞起来”。在观众看来，这个悬浮的物体似乎是在对抗重力，但这种现象有一个科学解释——量子力学。

这种把戏被称为“量子悬浮”或“磁悬浮”，涉及磁铁和极低的温度。魔术师给某个物体涂上一层磁性涂料，然后把物体放在用液氮冷却的超导体上。相对的力令物体浮在超导体上方。

Many magicians can make liquids disappear. The explanation is simple—chemistry.

Sodium polyacrylate， also known as “waterlock”， is a chemical compound that can absorb liquids. Its used in everyday products such as baby diapers. Whats magical about this polymer is that it can absorb 100 to 1，000 times its mass in liquid.

When a magician pours water into a cup lined with sodium polyacrylate， the water is quickly absorbed.

许多魔术师能让液体消失。这种魔术的解释很简单——化学。

聚丙烯酸钠，又名“水闸”，是一种能够吸收液体的化合物，常被应用于婴儿尿不湿等日用品。这种化合物的神奇之处在于，其可吸收自身质量100到1 000倍的液体。

魔术师把水倒进内衬有聚丙烯酸钠的杯子里，水就被飞速吸收了。

Burning paper

纸燃烧

Another interesting trick is when magicians set paper alight， it remains intact. Magicians can even use money in this trick. Theres a scientific explanation—chemistry.

The item is dipped in a mixture of alcohol and water before the trick. When its lit on fire， the alcohol covering the paper begins to burn. Alcohol burns and evaporates at a much lower temperature than water， so the water protects the paper from burning.

还有一个有趣的魔术：魔术师把纸点燃，纸却仍然完好无损。魔术师甚至可以用钱来变这个魔术。这种现象有一个科学解释——化学。

变魔术前，魔术师把纸浸入酒精和水的混合物中。纸一旦被点燃，黏附在纸上的酒精就会开始燃烧。酒精燃烧和蒸发的温度比水低得多，所以水会起保护作用，纸就不会燃烧。

Word Bank

figure out 弄清楚；弄明白

I cant figure out how to do this.

flawed /fl??d/ adj. 有缺点的；有瑕疵的

consistent /k?n's?st?nt/ adj. 与……一致的；相符的

The results are entirely consistent with our

earlier research.

absorb /?b's??b/ v. 吸收 （液体、气体等）

alight /?'la?t/ adj. 燃烧着的

evaporate /?'v?p?re?t/ v.（使）蒸发，挥发