PIRA
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Physics Lecture Demonstration 

MECHANICS

(1N) - Linear Momentum 

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Last Page Update: 07/08/03
 
1N - Linear Momentum
10. Impulse and Thrust
20. Conservation of Linear Momentum
21. Mass and Momentum Transfer
22. Rockets
30. Collisions in One Dimension
40. Collisions in Two Dimensions
Color Code Key:
  • All "Black" Listings are demos currently available.
  • All "Blue" Listings are new demos that are available.
  • All "Red" Listings are new demos that arn't available.
  • All "Green" Listings are broken or out of order.

1N10 - Impulse and Thrust

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N10.10 collision time pendula An electronic timer measures the impact time as two pendula collide.
1N10.10 collision time pendula Two metal wire bifilar pendula are suspended as part of a circuit to measure contact time on a counter.
1N10.11 time of contact A steel ball suspended from a conducting wire hits a vertical steel plate and the electrical signal gives time of contact.
1N10.12 fleeting event timer Hitting two hammers together gates a fast oscillator to a counter.
1N10.12 contact time by oscillator A ball swings against a plate completing a circuit allowing an oscillator to feed a counter to measure collision time.
1N10.13 measuring impulse A pendulum strikes a piezoelectric crystal and generates a voltage spike which is viewed on an oscilloscope.
1N10.14 measuring impulse by induction A pendulum strikes a magnet moving it in a coil inducing a current that deflects a galvanometer.
1N10.15 silicone ball on blackboard Throw a silicone ball at a dirty blackboard, measure the diameter of the mark, and place weights on the silicone ball until it is squashed to the same diameter.
1N10.15 ball on the blackboard Compare the imprint of a sponge ball thrown against a dirty blackboard with the force required to get an equal size deformation and calculate the interaction time.
1N10.16 deform clay Drop a 50 g mass on some softened clay, then add masses slowly to another blob of clay until the depression is equal.
1N10.20 egg in sheet Throw an egg into a sheet held by two students.
1N10.20 egg in sheet Throw an egg into a sheet held by two students.
1N10.20 egg in sheet Throw an egg at a sheet held by two people.
1N10.25 drop egg in water
1N10.30 pile driver with foam rubber Break a bar of plexiglass supported on two blocks with a pile driver. Add foam to a second bar and it doesn't break.
1N10.30 piledriver with foam rubber A pile driver breaks a plastic sheet supported at the sides. Add a piece of foam rubber and the plastic does not break.
1N10.35 car crashes Roll a car down an incline to smash beer cans. Vary the bumpers to change the impulse.
1N10.35 car crashes A cart rolls down an incline and smashes a beer can against a brick wall. Four interchangeable bumpers are used to vary the impulse.
1N10.36 car saftey on the air track Models of a person with a head, seat belt and a head rest are placed on an air track cart.
1N10.40 auto collision videodisc Show segments of the video disc.
1N10.50 impulse on the air track A rubber band launcher provides an impulse to an air cart. Analysis given is for a lab.
1N10.50 impulse acceleration track A mass on a right angle lever imparts a known variable impulse to a cart on a track and the final velocity is measured.
1N10.55 karate blows Not many physics instructors will be able to perform these demonstrations.
1N10.55 karate strikes Analysis of karate strikes and description of breaking demonstrations.
1N10.56 water stream impulse The force created by a momentum change in a fine water stream is calculated using measurements obtained with a large scale impulse balance. Construction details.
1N10.57 jet velocity by impulse The impulse supplied by the counterweight equals the loss of horizontal momentum of a jet of water. The exit velocity of the water jet is then calculated and checked by measuring range.
1N10.63 thrust with air carts Two carts, one with an air nozzle, the other with a reversible hemispherical deflector can be connected by a spring to show forces internal and external to a system and the effects on thrust resistance and thrust reversal.
1N10.64 water jet thrust Measure the vertical height of a water jet, collect water to determine the flow, and match the deflection of the nozzle by hanging weights with the flow turned off.
1N10.70 model rocket impulse Using solid fuel model rocket engines as an impulse generator, demonstrate the impulse-momentum theorem by measuring the final velocity.
1N10.71 model rocket thrust A device provides a method of measuring the thrust of a model rocket engine and recording it on graph paper. Impulse is calculated. Clever.
1N10.72 model rocket thrust Modify a toy rockets to maintain continuous discharge. Attach to a platform scale.
1N10.74 model rocket thrust An apparatus designed to measure the thrust of a rocket is used to check the manufacturer's specifications.
1N10.75 Dyna-Jet thrust Thrust measurements are made on a pulse jet engine (Dyna-Jet).
1N10.80 fire extinguisher thrust Measure the thrust of a fire extinguisher.
1N10.81 measuring impulse Complete treatment of the fire extinguisher cart to get exhaust velocity and average thrust for a variable mass system.
1N10.85 air cart rocket thrust A device (diagram) measures thrust of a gas propelled air cart. Speed and acceleration are determined by strobe photography.
1N10.90 thrust independent of medium A rocket pendulum maintains the same angle of recoil in air or water showing thrust is independent of medium.

1N20 - Conservation of Linear Momentum

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N20.10 see-saw center of mass Two carts magnetically repel each other on a teeter-totter. Mass of cars can be varied.
1N20.10 see-saw center of mass Magnet carts on a balanced board repel when a constraining string is burned. Also load carts unequally.
1N20.10 magnetic reaction carts Two carts with opposing permanent magnets are held together by a string which is burned.
1N20.10 see-saw center of mass Magnet cars on a balanced board repel each other when a constraining string is burned. Carts may be loaded unequally.
1N20.10 see-saw canter of mass A string holding two carts with opposing horseshoe magnets is burned and they remain balanced on a board as they repel.
1N20.10 see-saw center of mass Two spring loaded carts repel each other on a balanced board.
1N20.10 see-saw reaction carts Two spring loaded carts repel each other on a balanced board.
1N20.12 rolling ball on air cart A ball rolls down a small inclined plane mounted on an air track. Watch the glider start and stop.
1N20.15 car on a rolling board Start and stop a radio controlled car on a board on rollers.
1N20.15 car on a rolling board A straight train track is mounted on a movable board. Changing the weighting of the train will change the relative velocities of the train and track. Use a circular track for conservation of angular momentum.
1N20.15 car on rolling board Use a radio-controlled car on the board on a series of rollers.
1N20.16 car on the road A drawing board rides on perpendicular sets of steel rods to give 2D freedom of motion. Set a toy wind up car on it.
1N20.17 train on an air track An HO gauge train and 36" track mounted on a air cart.
1N20.20 sprring apart air track gliders Burn a string holding a compressed spring between two air gliders.
1N20.20 spring apart air track glider Two spring loaded carts carts on the air track initially held together by a electromagnet repel and are timed photoelectrically.
1N20.20 spring apart air track glider Air track carts equipped with iron cores and a spring are held together by an electromagnet.
1N20.20 spring apart air track glider Compress spring and burn thread to release, or use a toy pistol cap and hand held tesla coil.
1N20.20 reaction gliders momentum conservati Burn a string holding a compressed spring between two unequal mass air gliders.
1N20.21 old reaction carts Two spring loaded carts on a track with light bulbs at the ends of the track to indicate simultaneous arrival.
1N20.21 old reaction cars Two spring loaded cars on a track fly apart. If they reach the ends at the same time, lights flash.
1N20.22 repelling carts Two carts on a track start at rest and are exploded and timed.
1N20.23 magnetic release The magnetic release for the spring apart air track carts.
1N20.24 recoiling magnets Hold two small horseshoe magnets together on an overhead projector and observe the recoil.
1N20.25 elastic band reaction carts Pull apart two carts of unequal mass attached with an elastic band.
1N20.25 elastic band reaction cars A stretched rubber band pulls two carts together with accelerations inversely proportional to their masses.
1N20.30 exploding pendula Two large pendula of unequal mass are held together compressing a spring. When the spring is released, two students mark the maxima.
1N20.31 reaction swings Planks with bifilar supports may be used in place of reaction carts.
1N20.32 exploding basketballs Explode a firecracker between a light and heavy basketball that are suspended near the ceiling. Details of the basketball holder are given.
1N20.32 big bertha A dry ice cannon is mounted on model railroad tracks. Average velocity of the recoiling cannon and projectile are timed.
1N20.35 explosion Explode a firecracker in an iron block 4x4x2" pieced together from three sections.
1N20.35 explosion - comment about friction The center of mass will move due to friction.
1N20.60 air track c of m collision An inelastic air track collision with a cart and a spring coupled cart system.

1N21 - Mass and Momentum Transfer

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N21.10 floor carts and medicine ball Two people on roller carts throw a medicine ball to each other.
1N21.10 floor carts and medicine ball Throw a medicine ball or baseball back and forth, throw several baseballs against the wall.
1N21.20 catapult from cart to cart Catapult a ball on equal mass as the cart into a catcher in the second cart.
1N21.20 catapult from cart to cart Two carts at rest on a track, one catapults a steel ball into the other, each is photoelectrically timed.
1N21.25 thrust cars Conservation of momentum of a thrust producing stream on water is shown by two carts on a track: one has a nozzle, the other a bucket to catch the water.
1N21.26 thrust cars How to pull the plug on a container of water on a cart to show conservation of momentum by reaction to discharging water stream.
1N21.30 ballistic air glider Shoot a .22 into a wood block mounted on an air glider. Use a timer to determine the velocity.
1N21.30 ballistic air glider Shoot a 22 into a block of wood on an air cart.
1N21.30 ballistic air glider A .22 is fired into a block of wood mounted on an air cart.
1N21.30 ballistic air glider A rifle is shot into a car on a track.
1N21.30 ballistic air glider Shoot a .22 into a block on an air cart.
1N21.40 drop sandbag on cart A cart passes by a device that drops a sandbag of equal mass as the cart. Timers measure the velocity before and after the transfer.
1N21.40 drop weight on moving cart Drop a weight on a moving cart, two people on roller carts push against each other.
1N21.41 drop shot on cart Lead shot is dropped from a hopper into a box on a moving cart. The initial velocity is reproducible and the final velocity is measured with a photogate.
1N21.45 vertical catapult from moving cart Shoot a ball of equal mass from a moving cart into a catcher. Time to determine the velocity before and after the transfer.
1N21.50 jump on the cart Run at constant velocity and jump on a roller cart.
1N21.55 air track ball catcher Shoot a stream of balls at a moving air cart until the cart stops.

1N22 - Rockets

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N22.01 historical note An article claims rockets will not work in space because there is nothing to push against.
1N22.10 fire extinguisher wagon Mount a fire extinguisher on a cart and take a ride.
1N22.10 fire extinguisher rocket Mount a fire extinguisher on a cart and take a ride.
1N22.10 fire extinguisher wagon Mount a fire extinguisher on a wagon with the hose attached to a half inch plumbing fitting directed to the rear.
1N22.15 rocket video Show video of a rocket or shuttle launch.
1N22.20 water rocket Pump a toy water rocket the same number of times, first with only air, and then with water.
1N22.20 water rocket Pump a toy water rocket the same number of times, first with only air, and then with water.
1N22.20 water rocket A commercial water rocket is charged with air and then water.
1N22.20 water rocket Use a water rocket first with air only, and then with air and water.
1N22.23 air track rocket Air from a rubber balloon propels an air cart.
1N22.25 balloon rocket "Balloon rockets" are available at toy stores. Normal balloons follow more random paths.
1N22.30 rocket car A CO2 powered car accelerates across the lecture bench.
1N22.30 rocket car - CO2 cartridge Cartridges of CO2 are used to propel small automobiles or projectiles.
1N22.32 rocket to the Moon A nice setup of the CO2 rocket on a wire.
1N22.32 rocket to the Moon A small CO2 powered rocket rides a wire across the classroom.
1N22.33 rocket around the Moon A CO2 cartridge in the back of a model plane propels it around in circles.
1N22.33 CO2 rocket A small CO2 cartridge rotates a counterbalanced bar.
1N22.40 ball bearing rocket cart A cart is propelled down a track by 2 1/2" ball bearings rolling down a chute attached to the cart.
1N22.40 ball bearing rocket cart A cart is propelled down a track by 1" ball bearings rolling down a chute.
1N22.40 ball bearing rocket cart Fifteen large steel ball bearings fall through a chute to propel a cart. The last ball moves in the same direction as the cart.
1N22.51 reaction to a stream of water A nozzle reacts against a water jet.
1N22.51 reaction to a stream of water Several techniques on making the deflection due to the reaction to a stream of water more graphic.
1N22.51 reaction to a stream of water Tie one end of a 3' rubber hose to a spring and turn on the air, then cut the string.
1N22.90 computer plots of rocket motion Data from a Smart-pulley Atwoods machine with a funnel on one side is used to generate speed, position, and acceleration graphs.

 

1N30 - Collisions in One Dimension

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N30.01 ref. coef. of restitution see 1R40.xx.
1N30.10 collision balls Two balls or many balls on bifilar suspension.
1N30.10 collision balls Six billiard balls are mounted on bifilar supports.
1N30.10 collision balls - croquet Weigh the balls at the store to get nearly equal masses.
1N30.10 collision balls Eleven billiard balls on bifilar suspension.
1N30.10 collision balls Two balls, five balls, six balls on bifilar suspension.
1N30.10 colliding balls Two balls of equal mass collide, then balls of various mass ratios are used. Collisions with a string of equal balls are also demonstrated.
1N30.11 bowling ball collision balls A large frame holds seven bowling balls on quadfilar supports.
1N30.12 collision balls Two balls on bifilar suspension.
1N30.13 collision balls A two ball collision ball apparatus for the overhead projector.
1N30.14 collision balls theory In addition to conservation of momentum and energy, the system must be capable of dispersion-free propagation.
1N30.14 collision balls - theory The collision balls are described as a series of spatially separated masspoints and springs with a force law exponent of 1.5.
1N30.15 pitfalls in rolling ball collisions Friction and other factors that affect rolling collisions.
1N30.15 billiard balls Do collision balls with billiard balls in a "v" track.
1N30.15 billiard balls A set of grooved billiard balls run on steel edges.
1N30.15 billiard balls Roll a ball down an incline into a trough with five other balls.
1N30.15 billiard balls Looks like a rolling bowling ball hits another.
1N30.16 billiard balls Duckpin balls slide on two taut parallel steel wires. Construction details in the appendix, p.566.
1N30.20 collision balls, 3:1 A set of identical steel balls on bifilar suspensions. Also one ball can be three times the mass, insert wax for inelasticity.
1N30.20 3:1 collision balls Many collisions in a 3:1:1 system - elastic and inelastic.
1N30.21 collision balls, 3:1 Two ball collisions of pendula on bifilar supports. Elastic, inelastic, and 3:1 mass ratio. ref.APT,3,36,1935.
1N30.23 time reversal invariance The collisions of equal length pendula of different mass are used to demonstrate time reversal invariance. Also works with three balls.
1N30.25 impedence match collision balls A big ball hits a smaller ball in one frame, and a second frame holds an series of balls between the big and small balls.
1N30.25 impedence match collision balls Big ball hits a small ball with and without an intermediate series of impedance matching balls.
1N30.25 impedence match collision balls First a large ball hits a small ball, then other various sized balls are interposed to maximize energy transfer.
1N30.29 collision balls analysis A simplified model of the collision balls that goes beyond conservation of energy and momentum but is still within the scope of an introductory course.
1N30.30 air track collision gliders Two sets of air track carts, one with springs and the other with velcro, give elastic and inelastic collision.
1N30.30 air trough collisions Elastic and inelastic collisions on the air trough. A circuit is given for a light beam gated oscillator for use with a scaler.
1N30.30 elastic and inelastic collisions Air gliders have springs on one end and the post/clay on the other.
1N30.31 air track collision tricks Place a meter stick on two carts and lift it up before one hits an end bumper, a simple spring release device momentarily held with beeswax.
1N30.31 air track collision gliders Use a meter stick resting on top of two airtrack carts to give equal velocities. After one hits the end bumper, you have equal and opposite velocities.
1N30.32 air track collision gliders A moving car runs into a stationary one and sticks. Photogate timing before and after.
1N30.33 air track collision gliders Air track carts with bumper springs.
1N30.33 air track collision gliders A small cart hits a big one elastically. The big one is placed so that after the collision both carts hit the ends simultaneously. The carts will again collide at the original place.
1N30.33 equal and unequal mass collisions Equal and unequal mass air gliders.
1N30.34 air track collision gliders Elastic and inelastic collisions on the air trough. A circuit is given for a light beam gated oscillator for use with a scaler.
1N30.36 hot wheels collisions Uses Hot Wheels.
1N30.41 inelastic collisions A simple student experiment for elastic and inelastic collisions using PSSC collision carts.
1N30.41 inelastic collisions A simple student experiment for inelastic collisions using PSSC collision carts.
1N30.43 inelastic collisions air cart clamp Design of a simple rubber clamp for stopping Ealing air carts.
1N30.43 inelastic collisions with clay Mount a plunger on one air track and a cylinder packed with modeling clay on the other.
1N30.43 inelastic collisons with velcro Mount velcro on air carts with Swingline paper binders.
1N30.43 inelastic collisions with velcro Use velcro instead of wax.
1N30.43 inelastic collisions Two latching carts that can be loaded come together with equal force. Construction details in appendix, p. 565.
1N30.45 velocity of a softball A softball is thrown into a box (inelastic collision) and the velocity of the box is obtained from the recoil distance.
1N30.46 slow inelastic collision An unrolling thread slowly transfers momentum between air track gliders.
1N30.50 the bouncing dart Same as TPT 22(5),302.
1N30.50 the bouncing dart A dart hits a block of wood with a thud (inelastic) but with the pointer removed (elastic) knocks the block over showing greater impulse associated with elastic collisions.
1N30.51 ball - pendulum collisions A small ball rolls down an incline and strikes a larger pendulum bob on either a putty covered side or a plain steel side.
1N30.52 pendulum - cart collisions Two pendulums of equal height are released simultaneously from the same height so as to strike low friction carts. The pendulum bobs are of equal mass, one of steel and the other of clay. Greater momentum transfer during the elastic collision is observed.
1N30.55 elastic and inelastic model Two carts collide with a wall. One cart stops dead due to masses at oscillating inside with different frequencies.
1N30.60 double ball drop Drop a softball on a basketball.
1N30.60 dropping superballs Analysis of dropping two stacked superballs. Application to "slingshot effect" of space probes on the grand tour.
1N30.60 high bounce Drop a softball on a basketball (1:3) mass ratio.
1N30.61 double ball drop Some analysis of the double ball drop.
1N30.62 velocity amplification in collisions The complete treatment: double object, double ball, multiple ball, analog computer circuit, linear and non-linear models.
1N30.64 modified two ball drop A double mass-spring collision on a guide rod allows more control than the double ball method.
1N30.65 double air glider bounce Let two air gliders accelerate down 30 cm of track and measure the rebound as the mass of the lead glider is increased.
1N30.65 douple drop history Brief theory of the double ball drop. Suggests trying a double air cart collision on and inclined air track.
1N30.70 colliding cylinders One cylinder slides down a track and collides with another on a horizontal track. Friction is factored in.
1N30.71 modified colliding cylinders Modifications to AJP 42(1),54.
1N30.86 inelastic collisions photo A strobed photo is made of the collision of two carts on a table.
1N30.86 air track collision photo Record air track collisions with strobe photography.
1N30.87 air track collision timer Plans for an electronic device to be used for velocity readout in air track collision demonstrations. Gives readout before and after collision.

1N40 - Collisions in Two Dimensions

DCS # Demonstration Abstract/Description
1N40.10 shooting pool A framework allows a billiard ball pendulum to strike another on an adjustable tee.
1N40.11 orthogonal hammers Identical hammers hung at right angles hit a ball.
1N40.12 shooting pool An apparatus for recording collisions between ceiling mounted duckpin ball (5" dia.) and bowling ball (8 1/2" dia.).
1N40.13 shooting pool on the overhead Ink coated balls roll down chutes onto a stage placed on the overhead projector.
1N40.14 shooting pool A pool shooting box with a soapy glass surface and plans for a ball shooter.
1N40.16 shadow project collisions Vertically shadow project two dimensional collisions onto the floor. Much Discussion.
1N40.18 photograph golf ball collisions Suspend two golf balls from a ring that mounts on the camera lens and do a time lapse photo of the collision after one is pulled to the side and released.
1N40.18 photograph golf ball collisions The collision of two suspended golf balls is photographed.
1N40.20 air table collisions (equal mass) Vary the angle of impact between a moving and stationary air puck. Lines are drawn on the screen.
1N40.21 air table collisions Use dry ice pucks to do two dimensional collisions.
1N40.21 air table collisions (unequal mass) Elastic collisions with unequal air pucks.
1N40.22 air table collisions (inelastic) Inelastic collisions between equal and unequal mass air pucks.
1N40.24 air table collisions by video Use a video tape of the collision to obtain data.
1N40.24 air table collisions Use a spark timer to record collisions on an air table.
1N40.24 air puck collisions The path left by liquid air pucks on a table sprinkled with lycopodium powder show the 90 degree scattering law for particles of equal masses. Also a neutron diffusion demo. Construction details in appendix, p.570.
1N40.24 air table collisions Dry ice pucks with spark timer recording.
1N40.24 air table collisions photo Use strobe photography to record air table collisions.
1N40.25 lost momentum The air pucks are modified so the line of force during the collision passes through the center of mass.
1N40.30 nine-ball on the overhead, etc collisions with an array of three by three balls on the overhead projector. Also a four-ball two-dimensional coupled pendula suspension.
1N40.40 focusing collisions Balls are suspended from one string and spaced at a distance of 3r. Depending on the angle the collision is initiated, the collisions will either focus or defocus.
1N40.60 bouncing ball simulation An analog computer (circuit given) shows the path of a bouncing ball on an oscilloscope.
1N40.60 super ball bouncing Analysis of the trajectory of a super ball from the floor to the underside of a table and back to the hand.
1N40.90 computer collisions A FORTRAN program for collisions on a Tektronix 4012 graphics terminal and Honeywell DPS8 computer.