PIRA 200
Mechanics

Accelerating Air/Dynamics Carts
Atwood's Machine
Push Me Pull Me Carts
Map of State
Tower of Lire
Bowling Ball Stability
Balance the Cone
Suspended Block
Rope and Three Students
Grip Bar
Torque Beam
Ladder Against a Wall
Walking the Spool
Friction Blocks - Surface Materials
Static vs. Sliding Friction
Cavendish Balance Video
Gravitational Wells
Pile Driver
Pulleys
Nose Basher

MECHANICS

1A10.20

MEASUREMENT

Basic Units

Standards of Mass

Disc 01-01

Show students 1kg and 1 lb. masses to illustrate their size.

Have students lift both to illustrate their weights.

A 1 slug mass can also be shown and lifted. 


MECHANICS

1A10.35

MEASUREMENT

Basic Units

Meter Stick

Disc 01-01

Show the relatvie length of the meter and the yard.

The standard yard ad meter are also available.

A globe can be used to ttalk about the oricinal definition of the kilometer: the line from the pole to the equator throug Paris was 10,000 kilometers.



MECHANICS

1A40.10

MEASUREMENT

Basic Units

Vectors

 

The angle between the vector and any axis is not the same as the angle between the axis and the projection of the vector onto a place defined by two axis.



MECHANICS

1A50.10

MEASUREMENT

Math Topics

Radian

Disc 05-12

Show a string with the length of one radius.

Mark off the radii on the circumference of the large white board disk.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1A60.10

MEASUREMENT

Scaling

Powers of Ten

 

There are three versions of the film:

  1. A rough sketch
  2. A color version narrated by a female
  3. A color version narrated by Philip Morrison

The video disk:

  1. A rough sketch 8:00
  2. Philip Morrison version 8:50

For those that haven't seen this film, it has a picture of a couple having a picnic in a park and the camera starts with a 1 meter frame from 1 meter off the ground, then steps back to a 10 meter frame, then 100 meters frame and continues to the furthest reaches of space. It also goes in the opposite direction into the subatomic regions on the hand of one of the two people in the park. Great film in teaching the significance of using the powers of ten in our world.



MECHANICS

1C10.05

MOTION IN 1D

Velocity, Position and Acceleration

Ultrasonic Ranger and Student

 

A student walks toward and away from a sonic ranger. The computer displays graphs of position, velocity and acceleration Vs. time.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1C10.20

MOTION IN 1D

Velocity

PASCO Dynamics Carts

 

Demonstrate the principle of velocities with the aid of the Pasco dynamics carts.

If available, you can also do this with an Airtrack. 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1C20.10

MOTION IN 1D

Uniform Acceleration

Penny and Feather

Disc 01-04

Shake the penny and feather to one end of the air filled tube.

Quickly bring the tube to a vertical position and watch the objects fall. The penny will fall faster.

Connect the tube to the pump and pump the air out. Close the valve and disconnect the tube from the pump and repeat the inversion as before. The penny and feather will fall at the same rate.

The tube is about 150cm long.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1C30.10

MOTION IN 1D

Measuring g

PASCO Free Fall

 

The ball can be released from four different heights, 0.5m, 1m, 1.5m and 2m.

Place the ball between the contacts. Slide the rod to the left and tighten set screw to hold ball in place. Tap the contact pad and reset the timer, in that order. Loosen set screw to release ball. The timer will start. The timer stops when the ball strikes the pad. Move ball release to a new position and repeat.

Gives g to within 5%.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1D40.10

MOTION IN 2D

Motion and the Center of Mass

Throw Objects

Disc 03-21

Screw a light bulb into the center and toss to someone. The light bulb shows the center of mass. Change the center of mass of the disc by exchanging the foam plug for a lead weighted plug. Move the bulb to the new center of mass (off center). Hold the disc near the center of mass to toss. Don't worry about breaking the light bulb.



MECHANICS

1D50.10

MOTION IN 2D

Central Forces

Ball on a String

 

A ball tried to a string. Twirl in a vertical direction so students can see the path of the ball.



MECHANICS

1D50.40

MOTION IN 2D

Central Forces

Pail of Water, Pail of Nails

Disc 05-21

Swing a pail filled with water in a large vertical circle just fast enough so that the water doesn't spill out.

The pail may also be filled with nails. They can be heard dropping away and hitting the pail at the top of the swing, if swung just right.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1D60.10

MOTION IN 2D

Projectile Motion

Howitzer and Tunnel

Disc 02-03

Set the trigger on the cart. Give the cart a strong push towards the tunnel. If the ball hits the tunnel, you've not pushed the cart hard enough. Track is 10 feet long.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1D60.20

MOTION IN 2D

Projectile Motion

Simultaneous Fall

 

A spring loaded device drops one ball and projects the other horizontally.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1D60.30

MOTION IN 2D

Projectile Motion

Monkey and Hunter

Disc 02-02

Aim the cannon at the monkey when the monkey is held up high. When the ball leaves the cannon, the monkey should drop. The ball will hit the monkey since they fall at the same rate. Lower velocity means each falls a greater distance before hitting.

Workshop Video





MECHANICS

1E10.20

RELATIVE  MOTION

Moving Reference Frames

Frames of Reference Film

 

The classic film available on video disc or DVD permits use of selective parts.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1F20.10

NEWTON'S FIRST LAW

Inertia of Rest

Inertia Ball

Disc 02-13

Pull up slowly to overcome the inertia of the heavy ball and break the bottom string. Pull up fast to break the top string.

Have the students guess beforehand which string will break.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1F20.30

NEWTON'S FIRST LAW

Inertia of Rest

Tablecloth Pull

 

Pull the tablecloth out from under a place setting.

 




MECHANICS

1F30.10

NEWTON'S FIRST LAW

Inertia of Motion

Persistence of Motion

 

Level the track. Give the cart a push and watch it bounce end to end along the track. The air track works better, but is noisier.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1G10.10

NEWTON'S SECOND LAW

Force, Mass and Acceleration

Accelerating Air / Dynamics Cart

 

An air track cart is timed while pulled by a mass on a string over a pulley.

This can also be done with the Pasco dynamics carts and track.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1G10.40

NEWTON'S SECOND LAW

Force, Mass and Acceleration

Atwood's Machine

Disc 01-16

Place 1kg on each side. Add a 2g mass to the high side. Measure the distance the mass falls and the time it takes to fall this distance.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1H10.10

NEWTON'S THIRD LAW

Action and Reaction

Push Me Pull Me Carts

 

Have two students stand on the carts (or skateboards) and grab the ends of the rope. Have only one student pull at a time and observe that they both move. Use a long stick for pushing, or push off of each other's hands.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J10.10

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Finding Center of Gravity

Map of State

Disc 03-20

Hang map of your state on a peg through the desired hole. Hang a plumb bob in front. Mark plump line with marker. Repeat with other holes. Where the lines cross is the center of gravity.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J11.20

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Exceeding Center of Gravity

Tower of Lire

AJP 23(4), 240; AJP 41(5), 715

A set of eight blocks or books is stacked so the top block is completely over the edge of the table. Step lengths go as L/2n.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J20.10

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Stable, Unstable, and Neutral Equilibrium

Bowling Ball Stability

 

A bowling ball is placed in, on, and along side a large Plexiglas hemisphere.

 




MECHANICS

1J20.11

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Stable, Unstable, and Neutral Equilibrium

Balance the Cone

 

A cone can show stable, unstable, and neutral equilibrium; a sphere shows only neutral equilibrium.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J30.10

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Resolution of Forces

Suspended Block

Disc 04-03

The sides of the triangle are in the ration of 3:4:5. The 1500g block rests on a stop which can be removed after the force parallel to the incline is balanced. The block will be suspended in the same configuration as when on the incline. The masses to balance the perpendicular and parallel forces are 1200g and 900g, respectively.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J30.25

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Resolution of Forces

Rope and Three Students

 

A single student can easily deflect a rope held very taut by two other students.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J40.10

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Static Torque

Grip Bar

Disc 04-10

A 1kg mass can be suspended from a bar at different places. The further from the handle grip, the harder it is to keep the stick level or to rotate the stick upwards.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1J40.20

STATICS OF RIGID BODIES

Static Torque

Torque Beam

Disc 04-14

Different combinations of mass at different distances from the pivot can be used to show torques in equilibrium. Distances from the pivot are integer multiples: r, 2r, 3r, 4r. Individual masses are identical.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1K10.20

APPLICATIONS OF NEWTON'S LAWS

Dynamic Torque

Ladder Against a Wall

Disc 04-18

A model ladder leans against a heavy wooden box and a mass is hung from a rung. Move the mass higher and higher or adjust the angle smaller and smaller until the ladder slips. Different materials can be used for the surfaces to show different static frictions.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1K10.30

APPLICATIONS OF NEWTON'S LAWS

Dynamic Torque

Walking the Spool

Disc 06-07

Pull the rope that is wound around the spool. The angle between the rope and the table determines the direction the spool will roll. At some angle, the spool will not roll, but slide when you pull it.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1K20.10

APPLICATIONS OF NEWTON'S LAWS

Friction

Friction Blocks - Surface Materials

Disc 03-05

Measure static friction by noting the scale reading just before the block slides. Measure sliding friction by pulling the block at a constant speed. Change the surface materials and note the different frictions.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1K20.30

APPLICATIONS OF NEWTON'S LAWS

Friction

Static vs. Sliding Friction

 

Measure static friction by noting the scale reading just before the block slides. Measure sliding friction by pulling the block at a constant speed. Compare the two readings.



MECHANICS

1L10.10

GRAVITY

Universal Gravitational Constant

Cavendish Balance Video

 

Ztek Company Multimedia for Physics
http://www.ztek.com/physics/physics.html#Anchor-Physics-11481
Physics: CINEMA CLASSICS DVD 1
Mechanics (I)
ISBN: 1-56934-021-8 D00921 PCC 1- Mechanics (I)
Grade Level: 7+

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1L20.10

GRAVITY

Orbits

Gravitational Wells

 

A potential well made of a clothes basket and rubber sheet.  Also large and small commercial models of 1/R cones.

 




MECHANICS

1M10.20

WORK AND ENERGY

Work

Pile Driver

Disc 03-07

Raise the mass to the desired height and let it fall freely. If the mass is raised twice as high, the nail will be driven twice as deep. The mass is 4kg. A 16d nail has a mass of about 7g and a 10f has a mass of about 5g. The maximum distance the mass can fall is about 86cm. Option: Calculate the work needed to crush a soda can or drive a nail.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1M20.10

WORK AND ENERGY

Simple Machines

Pulleys

 

An assortment of large pulleys can be rigged several ways.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1M40.10

WORK AND ENERGY

Conservation of Energy

Nose Basher

Disc 03-14

Stand against the wall. Bring the bowling ball up to your nose or chin. Release the ball without giving it any initial velocity. Stand very still and wait for the return.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1M40.15

WORK AND ENERGY

Conservation of Energy

Stopped Pendulum

Disc 03-13

Raise the pendulum a certain height. It will travel to nearly the same height on the opposite side whether it is "stopped" or not. The meter stick serves as a reference for the height of the pendulum.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1M40.20

WORK AND ENERGY

Conservation of Energy

Loop the Loop

Disc 06-09

Release the ball near the top of the track. The energy loss makes the minimum height necessary to complete the loop significantly higher than the calculated value.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1N10.20

LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS

Impulse and Thrust

Egg in a Sheet

Disc 05-09

Have two students hold a sheet slightly draped. Toss an egg into the sheet. Remember to remove the egg before throwing another!

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1N20.20

LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS

Conservation of Linear Momentum

Spring Apart Carts

Disc 02-19

Two carts are fixed together with a spring in between them. The trigger is tripped and the spring pushes the carts apart. Different masses in the carts give different exit velocities.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1N21.10

LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS

Mass and Momentum Transfer

Carts and Medicine Ball

 

Two people on roller carts throw a medicine ball to each other.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1N22.10

LINEAR MOMENTUM

AND COLLISIONS

Rockets

Fire Extinguisher Rocket

Disc 02-24

Remove the expansion nozzle from a fire extinguisher and replace it with a length of pipe. Sit on a low-friction cart and face the nozzle away from you. Make sure the extinguisher is well braced and wear a crash helmet.



MECHANICS

1N22.20

LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS

Rockets

Water Rocket

Disc 02-23

Fill the rocket 1/3 with water. Pump it a specific number of times (your specification) and launch the rocket (you will probably get wet). Repeat the launch with the rocket filled with air to show the difference in range.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1N30.10

LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS

Collisions in 1D

Collision Balls

Disc 05-01

One ball raised and let go on one end will give one ball launched out from the other. Try different numbers of balls. If it doesn't work well, there is probably an alignment problem. Make sure the threads are straight and the balls are in a perfect line.

Workshop Video





MECHANICS

1Q10.10

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Moment of Inertia

Inertia Wands and Two Students

 

The two wands have the same mass, but have the mass distributed differently.  One has the mass concentrated in the middle, the other has the mass concentrated at the ends. Have two students rotate them back and forth as fast as they can to see the difference.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q10.30

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Moment of Inertia

Ring, Disk, and Sphere Race

Disc 06-04

Each item has the same diameter. After leveling the track from side to side, have the students predict which will win the race. Release them all at the same time and see which one gets to the bottom first.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q20.10

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Rotational Energy

Adjustable Angular Momentum

Disc 06-01

The moment of inertia can be changed by sliding, the masses on the stick in or out. Three different pulley sizes offer three different torques.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q30.10

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Transfer of Angular Momentum

Passing the Wheel

 

Tip the spinning tire half way and hand it to a student on a turntable. This student tips it another half way and hands it back. Repeat until the spinning student it turning to fast for the hand off. You can add or subtract from the angular momentum depending on which way you tip the wheel.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q40.10

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Conservation of Angular Momentum

Rotating Stool and Masses

Disc 07-04

Start a student rotating on the platform with the masses close to their body. Watch the change in spin as the student moves the masses further away.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q40.22

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Conservation of Angular Momentum

Rotating Hoberman Sphere

 

A Hoberman sphere mobile has a ball bearing fishing swivel added so that it can rotate easily.  Start it rotating in the expanded position.  Pull on the string to collapse the sphere and observe the change in rotation speed.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q40.30

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Conservation of Angular Momentum

Rotating Stool and Wheel

Disc 07-06

A student rotating on the platform can tip a spinning wheel in order to spin. Tipping the wheel in the opposite direction spins the student the opposite direction.

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1Q50.50

ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Gyros

Precessing Gyro

 

A high quality gyroscope with a counterweight is used to show the fundamental precession equation with fair precision.

 

Workshop Video



MECHANICS

1R10.10

PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Hooke's Law

Stretching a Spring

Disc 08-01

Mark the beginning and end positions of several different masses. Compare the end positions of masses that are multiples, such as double or triple.



MECHANICS

1R40.30

PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Coefficient of Restitution

Happy and Sad Balls

 

Drop bounce and no-bounce balls. 

Measure the height the bouncing ball is dropped from, and the height it bounces to, and calculate the coefficient of restitution.

The sad ball will not bounce as it is made from energy absorbing material.