tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185746020 2008-03-20 15:19:29 -0400 New Media Literacies A Gravity Simulation using Scratch 96 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185642600 2008-09-02 10:20:19 -0400 MIT Department of Physics Technical Services Group <p>A stuffed monkey is suspended from a rod at one end of a lecture hall by an electromagnet. A golf ball gun aimed directly at the monkey cuts power to the electromagnet when fired. Thus, the monkey begins falling at the same instant the gun fires the golf ball. The projectile and target meet in mid air.</p><p>Intuitively one might think that the ball will go over the monkey's head due to its fast speed. However, gravity accelerates all objects downward at the same rate, meaning the monkey and the ball will meet at exactly the same point. If the ball was shot even faster, it would still hit the monkey, but higher above the ground. </p><p>No animals were harmed in this demo. </p> 77 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185521540 2008-09-02 15:54:18 -0400 MIT Department of Physics Technical Services Group A ball is dropped in front of a meter stick and lit by a strobe light. A long exposure photograph captures the position of the ball at each evenly spaced flash of light. The acceleration of the ball can then be measured from the photo. <br><br> Note that the frame rate of the video capture (30fps) is quite close to the strobe rate (15Hz). This is why the strobe flashes in the slow motion video don't appear to be exactly evenly timed. <br><br> See the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/physicsdemos/3174207211">final image</a> on Flickr. 42 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185495840 2008-10-28 11:05:41 -0400 wrenow DYNAMICS - Gravitational Forces A Cavendish balance apparatus is used for the experimental verification of Newton's law of universal gravitation. This video shows a time lapse of the position of a laser beam which is reflected off of a mirror attached to a torsional balance which is set to oscillating by a change in position of two lead balls from equilibrium. The apparatus is arranged to ensure that the gravitational force of the lead balls dominates. http://18.74.1.138/~bil/DemoPage/B/B5/B5.htm http://books.google.com/books?id=O58mAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA59 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavendish_experiment 22 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185471180 2009-06-11 14:02:02 -0400 MIT Department of Physics Technical Services Group An air puck is attached to a string that passes through the center of an air table. A weight is attached to the end of the string. The ball is set into rotation in a horizontal circle. When the weight is released, creating a constant force inwards, the radius of the path is shortened and the puck speeds up. A similar effect is seen when the string wraps around a center rod like a tether ball. This creates an increasing force, which causes the puck to inspiral more quickly. 181 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185441000 2009-07-31 16:11:46 -0400 Blended Learning Open Source Science or Math Studies (BLOSSOMS) Video Summary: This very interactive video lesson uses the Simple Pendulum experiment to enable students to answer the fundamental question: What is the value of g in my school and in my home? Students will learn to calculate this value by working in groups to make pendulums of different lengths and by learning to count pendulum oscillations. Dr. Lahlouh also encourages students to contact students in other parts of the country or of the world with the goal of constructing a g-map. The only prerequisite for this lesson is a basic introduction to gravity. Supplies needed for this learning video include a 2-m long piece of light string; a mass (can be any small object e.g. some coins); measuring tape; stopwatch; nail; and a roll of scotch tape. The video lesson will take about one-hour. Some of the activities suggested for students between video segments include class discussions, the building of pendulums, and the working through of equations related to the measured oscillations of the students’ pendulums. 1397 tag:techtv.mit.edu,:Array/185389880 2009-11-20 15:37:09 -0500 Blended Learning Open Source Science or Math Studies (BLOSSOMS) BLOSSOMS - Finding Acceleration of Gravity "g" using Pendulum<br> by Dr. Basshar Lahloh<br> Physics Department, University of Jordan. Amman - Jordan 1325