Physics Demo Manual

Demonstrations are cataloged according to PIRA Bibliography

PLEASE REQUEST DEMOS WELL IN ADVANCE

Due to Physics Building renovations, the lead time to set up demo requests has increased due to the need to transport equipment across campus. Please be kind and let me know well ahead of time what you need.

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Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics
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Measurement
Motion In One Dimension
Motion In Two Dimensions: Angular Displacement; Whirligig; video - Spinning Tray; Centripetal Force; Spinning Chain; Centripetal Acceleration; Rotational Dynamics; video - Ballistics Cart; video - Shoot and Drop; Projectile Motion II; video - The Monkey and the Hunter; video - Range Gun
Newton's First Law
Newton's Second Law
Newton's Third Law
Statics Of Rigid Bodies
Applications Of Newton's Laws
Gravity
Work and Energy
Momentum
Rotational Motion
Properties of Matter

video - Shoot and Drop

Purpose:

To show that downward acceleration is independent of horizontal motion.

Procedure:

  DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD no audio / 22MB size

  DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD w/ sound / 1920x1080 / 24.19Mb/s / 137MB size

  DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD w/ sound / 854x480 / 5.69Mb/s / 36MB size

Place spring launcher on stand and level the apparatus. Load the spring by raising the lever and compressing the spring 1-notch or 2 notches. Load two ball bearings on both ends - the "shoot" left side and the "drop" right side. The "shoot" left side ball is launched horizontally while the "drop" right side ball falls straight down. Both land on the classroom floor simultaneously.

Phet Simulation - Projectile Motion

Click to Run

Equipment:

Small Spring Ballbearing Launcher
Stand