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Tuesday, 28 June 2016 19:00

D3-33: Centripetal Acceleration - Rotating Ball and Brick

Additional Info

  • ID Code: D3-33
  • Purpose: To illustrate centripetal acceleration and the associated forces
  • Description:

    A rope is tied to a tennis ball at one end, and to a brick at the other. The rope runs loosely through a plastic handle, allowing it to slide freely.

    Spin the ball on its rope around in a circle above your head. As the radius of rotation increases, the centripetal acceleration does as well, increasing the force acting on the brick. At a certain point, the force will be sufficient to lift the brick off the table!

    Check out further discussion of this demonstration, and a full mathematical treatment, at the link below!

  • Availability: Available
  • Loc codes: D3
Read 2140 times Last modified on Wednesday, 12 August 2020 16:26