Air track with cars, metal plates
Air track with cars, metal plates (closeup)
Air track with cars, metal plates

 

Code Number: 1H10.15

Demo Title: Action-Reaction on Air Track

Condition: Good

Principle: Action & Reaction

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment: 

Air track, Spring-loaded cars for air track (2), Magnetic cars for air track (2).

Procedure:

Clean the air track using alcohol or acetone. Assemble the cars as desired by mounting the magnets or springs into the air cars or the spring-loaded timer cars.

References:

  • Paul Hewitt, "December Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 56, #9, Dec. 2018, p. 55.
  • John L. Roeder, "More on Deriving Newton’s Second Law", TPT, Vol. 55, #7, Oct. 2017, p. 388.
  • Asim Gangopadhyaya and James Harrington, "Can Newton's Third Law Be "Derived" from the Second", TPT, Vol. 55, #4, Apr. 2017, p. 236.
  • John L. Roeder, "Analyzing Collisions in Terms of Newton's Laws", TPT, Vol. 41, #2, Feb 2003, p. 97.
  • Christopher Bracikowski, Doug Bowmanm, and Karen Brown, "Feeling the Physics of Linear Motion", TPT, Vol. 36, #4, Apr. 1998, p. 242.
  • Neal Newby Jr., "Explosive Breakup on Rough Surface", TPT, Vol. 35, #8, Nov. 1997, p. 475.
  • Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 26, #9, Dec. 1988, p. 594.
  • Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 26, #1, Jan. 1988, p. 57.
  • "Doing Physics", TPT, Vol. 25, #1, Jan. 1987, p. 59.
  • Robert Beck Clark, "The Answer is Obvious. Isn't It?", TPT, Vol. 24, #1, Jan. 1986, p. 38.
  • Jean Brattin, "Action and Reaction? What's That?", TPT, Vol. 19, #5, May 1981, p. 326.
  • Virginia F. Walters and David D. Dreyfuss, "A Quick Demonstration of Newton's Third Law", TPT, Vol. 10, #9, Dec. 1972, p. 531.
  • Andrew Ahlgren, "Conversation During Collisions", TPT, Vol. 7, #7, Oct. 1969, p. 398.
  • John L. Stull, "Lossy Collisions: An Air Experiment", TPT, Vol. 7, #4, Apr. 1969, p. 225.
  • Edward J. DeYoung, "Energy and Momentum During an Interaction", TPT, Vol. 7, #3, Mar. 1969, p. 168.
  • M. Parodi and D. Pescetti, "Coupling of Air Track Gliders by Forces Acting at a Distance", AJP, Vol. 42, #5, May 1974, p. 414.
  • Mi-4, Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • M-324, "Action and Reaction - Air Fan", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
  • M-312, "Two Carts and Medicine Ball", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, “Action - Reaction Pairs“, A Demo A Day – A Year of Physical Science Demonstrations, p. 235.
1H10.15 - Action - Reaction on an Air Track
1H10.15b - Action - Reaction on an Air Track

1H10.15 - Dr. James Wetzel, PHYS 1611 - Air Track - Newton's Third Law