Amazing Aerodynamic Bearing that Self-Levitates Using Air as a Cushion

This is a great demonstration of a Kingsbury Aerodynamic or Air Lubricated Bearing, which just involves a spinning disk inside a slightly larger enclosure. When the disk spins it drags air around itself causes self-levitation as the moving air seeks to level the air pressure between the disk and the enclosure. This causes the disk to levitate upon a cushion of air that serves as a very low friction bearing. Other liquids such as lubricating oils can be used and are used in industrial settings. The bearing is named after American engineer and inventor Albert Kingsbury. The principle behind the air bearing is also present in glass syringes, sliding cards on a table, and in some metal fittings.

Also included in the video is the mention of the very flat pieces of metal used in the Kingsbury bearing which has the very interesting property that they stick to other very flat pieces of metal. This phenomenon is known as "Gauge Blocks" and the following video illustrates this principle.

And for reference, the following video by Action Lab shows similar affects of metals attracting each other, and which serves as the basis for the concept of "cold welding".

Very interesting hands-on science!