Elastic and Inelastic Collision Model
[M | t+ | ★★★]
Two cars model the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions as they smash against a wall
Amorphous Metal
[s | T+ | ★★★★]
Compare and contrast a steel ball bearing bouncing on a stainless steel plate and on an amorphous metal plate—a remarkable difference!
Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
[L | t+ | —]
Gliders on airtrack; pucks on air table.
Reactionary Roadbed
[L | t+ | ★★]
Radio controlled car moves one way while road moves the other.
[In-Depth Description]
Pendulum and Nose
[L | t+ | ★★★]
Faith in the conservation of energy is tested by taking the demonstrator's nose to task.
[In-Depth Description]
Loop-the-loop
[M | t+ | ★★★]
A toy car rolling down a loop-the-loop track demonstrates the minimum height it must start at to successfully negotiate the loop. Can also be performed with small pendulum
[In-Depth Description]
Bow and Arrow
[L | t++ | ★★★★]
Use conservation of energy to predict the height the arrow will reach.
Bungee Jumping Barney
[L | t++ | ★★★]
Calculate the height from which Barney must jump so that his head just barely kisses the floor at the bottom of his bungee cord jump. Then verify by experiment.
Egg Psych-Out
[L | t++ | —]
More physics in your face with a heavy mass and spring over a carton of eggs (or your face).
Newton's Cradle
[S | t | ★★]
Conservation of momentum in elastic collisions between suspended spheres.
[In-Depth Description]
Bouncing Collision
[M | t | —]
A tennis ball/basketball combination is dropped to the floor ... the tennis ball theoretically bounces to nine times the original drop height.
[In-Depth Description]
Special Bouncing Collisions
[M | t | —]
Same as previous except that mass ratio of balls is 1:3 (softball:basketball) leaving basketball dead and softball four times the height.
[In-Depth Description]
Bottle Game
[M | t | —]
Try to knock the bottle over on the return swing!
Happy and Unhappy Balls
[M | t | ★★★]
An amusing example of elastic and inelastic collisions. Also a momentum change / impulse puzzler.
Pool Table
[L | t++ | ★★★]
Requiring little or no skill and the aid of a carpenter's square, one shot sinks two balls into the pockets.
[In-Depth Description]
Crashing Pendulum
[M/L | t/t+ | —]
A pendulum is allowed to "crash" into a bar, dramatically altering its motion, but energy is conserved as is evidenced by the return swing.
[In-Depth Description]
Mass and Spring
[M | t | —]
Potential and kinetic energy tradeoffs exhibited by a bouncing mass on the end of a spring.
Contact Us
Mailing Address: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Campus Location: Science Center B-08A | Tel: (617) 495-5824 | Email: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu