How Does a Mova Globe Rotate?
The rotation of a Mova globe is driven by magnetism and a photoelectric mechanism powered by light. There are actually two spheres. The outer one is an acrylic shell, inside which a second sphere is suspended in liquid. This inner sphere is covered with a graphic design, such as land masses and water of the Earth. There is about ΒΌ-inch of liquid in between, which has about the same density as the inner sphere, so the interior sphere floats with exactly the same amount of liquid on each side. A magnet within the inner sphere is aligned with the Earth’s real magnetic field. This process is the same as that with a compass. The magnet, in turn, is situated within a photoelectric drive system powered by photovoltaic cells, which are also located inside the inner sphere. The pigment in the graphic design allows light to pass through, which hits the solar cells and allows the mechanism to harvest energy from the light. This energy is used to power the drive mechanism. The Earth’s magnetic fie
