PURPOSE: To demonstrate the direction of the acceleration in both rotational and translational coordinate systems.
DESCRIPTION: In each experiment the pingpong balls act as accelerometers. When the jars are rotated, the ball suspended from the bottom of the water-filled jar moves toward the direction of the acceleration, while the ball suspended from the top of the air-filled jar moves in the direction opposite the acceleration. The pingpong ball in the water-filled tube indicates the direction of the acceleration when the tube is accelerated linearly or rotated.
SUGGESTIONS:
REFERENCES: (PIRA 1D52.30, 1G20.87) See also Demonstration D1-43: INERTIAL FORCES - BALLS IN ROTATING JARS.
EQUIPMENT: Rotating jars with pingpong balls in air and water, tube with pingpong ball in water.
SETUP TIME: None.
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