Re: Pinhole Digest #1066 - 11/21/02

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From: Tom Woosnam (twoos@csus.com)
Date: Thu Nov 21 2002 - 08:04:43 PST 

Message-id: <fc.000f5b5a008170033b9aca00175ea8e0.817065@csus.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 08:04:43 -0800
Subject: Re: Pinhole Digest #1066 - 11/21/02
From: "Tom Woosnam" <twoos@csus.com>

pinhole@exploratorium.edu writes:
>I am introducing centripetal force to my physics classes and I really
>want
>some demonstrations that will stress the "center-seeking" centripetal
>force.
> Some demonstrations that I have found so far seem to stress the
>"centrifugal force." What can I do to clarify these two ideas. Also, I
>put
>together the clear plastic tubing (used at the convection workshop) and
>spun
>around in a circle. Am I correct in stating that this demonstration also
>portrays the outward motion of the water? Any ideas would be appreciated.
>Thanks,
>Shannon McManus
>

I get kids to whirl a stopper on a string around their heads and ask them
to describe which way the force (tension in the stirng) is acting on
their hands. They agree that it's outwards. Then I ask them to apply
Newton's 3rd Law "If the string is pulling outwards on your hand then your
hand must be.......". I generalize that to all circular motion. I'd be
really interested to hear other ways of doing it though.

Tom Woosnam

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