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
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New or Modified Entries (within the last month)

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Measurement
Motion In One Dimension
Motion In Two Dimensions
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: Egg in a Sheet; Reaction Cars; video - Ballistics on Air Track; Ballistic Pendulum; Fire Extinguisher Rocket Cart; Water Rocket; Rocket Tricycle; Methanol Rocket (Explode a Milk Jug); Match Rocket; video - 2-Liter Bottle Rocket; video - Hovercraft; video - Air Track Collisions; video - Newton's Cradle Collisions; video - Battering Ram Collisions; Gauss Gun - Elastic and Inelastic Collisions; video - Double Ball Bounce; video - Air Table Collisions
Rotational Motion
Properties of Matter

video - Air Track Collisions

Purpose:

To illustrate one dimensional elastic and inelastic collisions on "frictionless" air track.

Procedure:

DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD - Elastic

DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD - Inelastic

Air Track - Air carts with or without Velcro tabs with equal or unequal masses can be collided into one another.

Phet Simulation - Collision Lab

Click to Run

Hints:

A more simple version of a collisions demo can be found here ---> Go to our AirPro Hockey Pucks demo - frictionless pucks with or without Velcro can be used to demonstrate elastic and inelastic collisions.

Equipment:

Air Track
Air Glider