Faith in Physics


Poster frame from the video	Energy is conserved

Abstract

A heavy pendulum released from near a student's nose will return to the same height and not quite touch her/him.

Portable

Principles Illustrated

Conservation of Energy. Pendulum motion.

NCEA & Science Curriculum

SCI 1.1, PHYS 2.4, PHYS 3.4

Teacher Guide

Would you like to contribute lesson suggestions? Contact us.

Video

mp4 (9 MB): Faith_in_Physics.mp4

Instructions

Mount the ball securely and let swing. See safety notes below.

Safety

It is very easy for a student to accidentally move forward during the demonstration and get a nasty bang. Be sure the pendulum is not angled upward as this will give it extra energy, and be sure the mount is secure and cannot slip. See illustration below. In general, it is probably best to use the video or substitute a glass or egg for the students if you do not have time to test the apparatus carefully.

Individual teachers are responsible for safety in their own classes. Even familiar demonstrations should be practised and safety-checked by individual teachers before they are used in a classroom.

Credits

This teaching resource was developed by the Te Reo Māori Physics Project with support from

This resource was developed by the Te Reo Maori Physics Project.
The New Zealand map shown on the poster frame above is used with permission from www.nz.com
The photo of Clyde Dam was provided by Dr. Gillian Turner in the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington.
The photos of the generator and tailrace at Clyde Dam Power Station was provided by Contact Energy.
The photo of Huntly Power Station was provided by The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Click here.

NEW ZEALAND PHYSICS TEACHERS' RESOURCE BANK

Faith in Physics

Section navigation