Hopper Poppers
Compressible Sleeves

 

Code Number: 1M40.91

Demo Title: High Bounce Paradox - Hopper Popper, Jumping Pencil, Slap Bracelet, etc.

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Energy Conservation

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment: 

Hopper Poppers, Slap Bracelets, Jumping Pencils, Compressible Sleeves.

Procedure:

Turn the hopper popper inside out and drop onto the table top.  When the popper hits the table it will revert to its initial shape and this release of energy will allow it to bounce much higher than the height it was dropped from.

The "Slap Bracelet" is another device that has some stored mechanical energy that is released when the straight metal piece is triggered and it curls around the wrist or around itself.

Set the compressible sleeve upright on a table and push it down.  Release it and watch it jump into the air as the potential energy is released.

References:

  • Nathaniel R. Greene, Tom Gill, and Stephen Eyerly, "Finding the Effective Mass and Spring Constant of a Force Probe from Simple Harmonic Motion", TPT, Vol. 54, #3, Mar. 2016, p. 138.
  • Tom Gill, "Cover Photo", TPT, Vol. 54, #3, Mar. 2016.
  • Michael Vollmer and Klaus-Peter Möllmann, "Bouncing Poppers", TPT, Vol. 53, #8, Nov. 2015, p. 489.
  • Gholamreza Shamsipour, "Simple Experiments for Teaching Air Pressure", TPT, Vol. 44, #9, Dec. 2006, p. 576.
  • Stephen J. Van Hook, "Teaching Potential Energy Functions and Stability with Slap Bracelets", Vol. 43, #7, Oct. 2005, p. 425.
  • Martin Gardner, "The Jumping Pencil", TPT, Vol. 37, #3, Mar. 1999, p. 178.
  • James Watson Jr. and Nancy T. Watson, "Physics Toy Chest", TPT, Vol. 25, #9, Dec. 1987, p. 564.
  • Bruce W. Jones, "A 'Black Box/Can' Project", TPT, Vol. 25, #7, Oct. 1987, p. 441.
  • C. J. Roddy, "Tricks of the Trade - Hopper Popper", PIRA Newsletter, Vol. 6, #2, Oct. 1991, p. 4.
  • "M-406. Toys-Windup, Jumping & Rolling", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
  • "H-122. Jumping Disks", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
  • Don Rathjen and Paul Doherty, "Snip and Snap", Square Wheels, 2002, p. 97.
  • Vicki Cobb and Kathy Darling, "Bound to Win", Bet You Can!, p. 28.
  • Borislaw Bilash II and David Maiullo, "Pop Goes the Energy", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 85.
  • Robert Ehrlich, "E. 10. Energy Storage in a Rubber Hemisphere", Turning the World Inside Out and 174 Other Simple Physics Demonstrations, p. 63 - 64.
  • "Pop Corn Poppers", Physics From the Junk Drawer, 3rd Edition, The Science House, North Carolina State University, p. 27.
1M40.91 - High Bounce Paradox - Hopper Popper