Newton's Cradle
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Poster frame from video: In most browsers, Click on image to play OR Right-click on image and "save target as" to your computer, then play in QuickTime, Windows Media Player, or another player. |
| Abstract |
Suspended balls transfer momentum from one to the next.
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| Portable | Yes | ||
| Principles Illustrated |
Conservation of momentum and energy, collisions, impulse
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| NCEA & Science Curriculum |
PHYS 2.4 |
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| Teacher Guide |
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| Video |
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| Instructions |
Wait until the balls have stopped moving, displace one end ball and release. Displace two balls and release, etc. Quite interesting behaviour results that can be explained in terms of the need to conserve both momentum and energy. For example, one ball in and two out at half the speed would conserve momentum but not kinetic energy. A number of possible solutions for swinging one ball would conserve momentum, and a number would conserve kinetic energy. But not both. |
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| Related Resources |
Collisions on an air track with carts of equal mass
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| References |
PIRA 1N30.10
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| Credits |
This teaching resource was developed with support from |
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| Copyright |