Have you ever wondered what happens when you drop a Slinky from a height? This experiment dives into the curious world of Slinkies to find out how they behave when dropped. Inspired by a popular video, the team wanted to see if long and short Slinkies act the same way when they fall.
The main goal was to observe whether a long Slinky behaves differently from a short one when dropped. To do this, one team member filmed from the ground while another dropped the Slinky from above.
When the Slinky was released, it quickly tumbled to the ground. The team noticed this tumbling motion and decided to repeat the drop to capture it more clearly.
After watching the footage, it was obvious that the Slinky kept tumbling as it fell. One team member joked that standing under a falling Slinky might be as risky as being under an airplane, suggesting a parachute would be safer.
The team then discussed the science behind the Slinky’s motion. They explained that the center of mass of the Slinky falls due to gravity, which accelerates objects at about 9.8 m/s². However, there were different ideas online about what happens to the bottom of the Slinky. Some people thought it might shoot up to meet the middle.
To clear things up, they explained that in the Slinky’s own frame of reference, the bottom stays still until a compression wave travels down the spring. This means gravity doesn’t affect the bottom part until the wave reaches it.
To better understand these principles, the team tried a horizontal Slinky experiment. When one end of the Slinky was compressed, the other end didn’t move until the compression wave traveled through the spring. This showed that the tension at the far end only changes after the wave passes.
Through these experiments, the team learned a lot about the physics of Slinkies. They emphasized the importance of understanding motion and forces, both with and without gravity. This exploration of Slinkies was not only fun but also educational, revealing the fascinating principles of physics in action.
Gather a Slinky and a friend to help you. One of you should film while the other drops the Slinky from a height. Observe the motion carefully. Does the Slinky behave as you expected? Discuss your observations and compare them with the article’s findings.
Using graph paper or a digital tool, plot the position of the Slinky’s center of mass over time as it falls. Consider the acceleration due to gravity, $9.8 , text{m/s}^2$. How does the graph help you understand the Slinky’s motion?
Perform a horizontal Slinky experiment. Compress one end of the Slinky and release it. Watch how the compression wave travels. Discuss how this relates to the vertical drop experiment and the concept of tension and compression in springs.
Using the equation for free fall, $d = frac{1}{2}gt^2$, calculate the time it takes for the Slinky to hit the ground from a given height. Assume $g = 9.8 , text{m/s}^2$. How does your calculation compare to the actual time observed in your experiment?
In groups, discuss why the bottom of the Slinky stays still until the compression wave reaches it. Use the concept of frames of reference and the role of gravity. How does this understanding change your perception of motion and forces?
Slinky – A toy made of a flexible metal or plastic coil that can demonstrate wave motion and energy transfer. – When a slinky is pushed down the stairs, it shows how energy can move through a coil in a wave-like motion.
Gravity – The force that attracts two bodies toward each other, typically noticeable as the force that gives weight to objects and causes them to fall toward the Earth. – The apple fell from the tree due to the force of gravity pulling it toward the ground.
Motion – The change in position of an object over time, described by its speed, direction, and acceleration. – The motion of the planets around the sun is an example of gravitational forces at work.
Experiment – A scientific procedure undertaken to test a hypothesis by collecting data under controlled conditions. – In our experiment, we measured how different surfaces affect the speed of a rolling ball.
Wave – A disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another through a medium or space, often characterized by its wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. – Sound travels through the air as a wave, allowing us to hear music and voices.
Tension – The force transmitted through a string, rope, cable, or similar object when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends. – The tension in the rope increased as more weight was added to the hanging object.
Mass – A measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in kilograms or grams. – The mass of the Earth is approximately $5.97 times 10^{24}$ kilograms.
Drop – To let something fall freely due to gravity, often used in experiments to study motion and forces. – We conducted an experiment to see how different objects drop at the same rate regardless of their mass.
Forces – Interactions that cause an object to change its motion, direction, or shape, often measured in newtons. – The forces acting on a car include friction, gravity, and the engine’s thrust.
Compression – The act of pressing or squeezing a material, reducing its volume and increasing its pressure. – When you compress a spring, it stores potential energy that can be released when the force is removed.
