Mechanics

Conservation of momentum in elastic collisions with the airtrack and the digital counter (6 decades)

Principle

Two air-cushioned gliders move toward each other from each end of the air track. Before they collide with one other, each passes a light barrier. A 6-decade digital counter measures and stores the times of those two events. After impact, which occurs between the ...

Centrifugal trough, flexible hoops, fly weight governor

Principle

Two spheres of different mass can move freely along a trough. How do they behave when they are set in rotation at a constant speed around a central axis outside of the spheres? Flexible, rotating bodies - and therefore the terrestrial globe as well - deform in a ...

Dependence of the central force on the radius and mass

Principle

Why does a car "fly" out of a curve when the vehicle is travelling too fast?
This experiment answers that question.
A measurement cart is mounted on a track, which a motor sets in rotation.  A string securely connects the measurement cart to a d ...

Influence of rotational motion on the surface of liquids

Principle

Normally liquids form horizontal surfaces under the influence of gravity. This changes, however, when other forces take effect. Along with gravity, a rotating liquid is also subjected to centrifugal force, which results in parabolic surfaces.

The angle-time-law and the angular velocity-time-law of auniformly accelerated rotational motion

Qualitative considerations concerning the angular momentum

What happens when:

- Sitting on a swivel stool and holding a weight (10 kg) in each hand, a person extends their arms and then retracts them again while the stool is rotating?

- The person sitting on the stationary swivel stool is given a rotating gyroscope, the axis of whic ...

Dependence of the moment of inertia on the mass distribution

Steiner's theorem

Principle

The moment of inertia of a body relative to a rotational axis that does not intersect its centre of gravity can be expressed as the sum of two characteristic moments of inertia: the moment of inertia of the mass concentrated at the centre of gravity and the mome ...

Restoring force on a displaced pendulum

Principle

When a pendulum bob suspended on a string is displaced and released, it seeks its equilibrium position and starts to swing. In the experiment depicted here, the torsion dynamometer holds the bob at its maximum displacement. The value of the force displayed direc ...

Fixed pulley

Principle

When raising a weight with a fixed pulley, does the pulley affect the amount of force that has to be applied? Using materials such as rulers, arrows and labels, the magnetic demonstration board can be used to clearly examine this question in detail.

Uniformly accelerated linear motion

Principle

A measurement carriage is uniformly accelerated by a falling mass. The experiment shows the relationships between the following:

- Distance travelled and the elapsed time

- Instantaneous velocity attained by the carriage after a certain time.

Horizontal and oblique projectile motion

Principle

No demonstration method shows horizontal and inclined projectile motions better than a continuous water jet. The overflow vessel contains about 1 litre of water and gives those doing the experiment enough time to discuss all of the aspects of proj ...

Energy conversion of a roller coaster

Principle

One of the truly exceptional features of the PHYWE magnetic demonstration board for mechanics is the flexible track with which it can be equipped to create track shapes that were previously totally unconventional. The experiment depicted here shows a "roller coa ...

Buoyancy in water on the magnetic board (Archimedes' prin-ciple)

Principle

Extensive bodies have the property of weighing less when they are in water than when they are in air, which you notice when you swim, for example. For this reason, even heavy container ships can swim, although a small pebble immediately sinks. In this ...

Frequency of a thread pendulum