The art of unlocking

DOI10.1007/S00283-022-10210-0MaRDI QIDQ6169863zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors O. V. Ogievetsky, S. B. Shlosman

Publication date 12 July 2023

Published in The Mathematical Intelligencer (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/s00283-022-10210-0

zbMATH Keywords

FCC (face-centered cubic)FCC configurationHCP (hexagonal close-packed)HCP configurationunlocking

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Rigidity and flexibility of structures (aspects of discrete geometry) (52C25)

Review text

If one can roll in the FCC (face-centered cubic) and HCP (hexagonal close-packed) configurations of 12 unit balls touching a central unit ball the 12 balls over the central ball in such a way that they cease to touch (or kiss) each other, then one says that the configuration can be unlocked. This paper is a readable presentation, based largely on the authors' work, of the fact that the HCP configuration can be unlocked, preceded by a short discussion regarding why the FCC configuration can be unlocked.

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Cites work

• Configuration spaces of equal spheres touching a given sphere: the twelve spheres problem
• Critical configurations of solid bodies and the Morse theory of min functions
• Das Problem der dreizehn Kugeln
• Extremal Cylinder Configurations II: Configuration O₆
• Extremal cylinder configurations. I: Configuration \(C_{\mathfrak{m}} \)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3364397 (Why is no real title available?)
• On angles whose squared trigonometric functions are rational
• On the number of cylinders touching a ball
• Platonic Compounds of Cylinders
• The six cylinders problem: \(\mathbb{D}_3\)-symmetry approach
• When is the ball a local pessimum for covering?

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