Exploding CDs

[Frank Mitchell]

A recent BBC2 programme: "Mythbusters" explored the rumour that some CD-ROM
Drives go so fast they make CDs fly apart. Two Stunt Engineers organised an
experiment and showed  this actually happens with some brands of CD.

Just before disintegrating, these disks assumed a sort of corrugated
appearance, which suggests the problem is caused by Resonant Frequency (as
with the Tacoma Narrows bridge) rather than "Centrifugal Force". The CD
vibrates with alternate sectors oscillating in opposite directions. When the
speed of the drive matches the Natural Frequency of the CD, the amplitude of
the vibration gets large enough to crack the disk, which then falls to
pieces.

Does anybody have more information about this?

Faictz Ce Que Vouldras: Frank Mitchell




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