Air Table with Pucks

 

Code Number: 1Q40.57

Demo Title: Cons. of Angular Momentum - Air Table

Condition: Good

Principle: Action & Reaction

Area of Study: Mechanics

Equipment: 

Air table and air source, heavy and light puck connected by aluminum bar, heavy incident puck.

Procedure:

Level the air table and make sure the two puck system floats freely.  Try to hit the light mass puck at 90 degrees to the aluminum bar with the incident puck.  Use video capture to watch the motion of both centers of mass.

A #57 drill can be used to clean the holes of the air table should they become plugged.

References:

  • Joshua M. Grossman, Theodore Baum, "Grossman and Baum Response", TPT, Vol. 62, 35, May 2024, p. 324.
  • Rod Cross, "Comment on Elastic Collisions Involving Rotation", TPT, Vol. 62, #5, May 2024, p. 324.
  • Theodore Baum, Joshua Grossman, "An Off-Center, Elastic Collision:, Conservation of Kinetic Energy Without a Perfect Coefficient of Restitution", TPT, Vol. 61, #9, Dec. 2023, p. 774.
  • Steve Dail, "Angular Momentum Demo Using Magnetic Neodymium Spheres",  TPT, Vol. 44, # 6, p. 391, Sept. 2006.
  • J. Charles Williamson, Ramon O. Torres-Isea, and Craig A. Kletzing, "Analyzing Linear and Angular Momentum Conservation in Digital Videos of Puck Collision", AJP, 68, # 9, Sept. 2000, p. 841.
  • Roger R. Rockefeller, "Conservation of Angular and Linear Momentum on an Air Table", AJP, Vol. 43, # 11, Nov. 1975, p. 981.
  • H. F. Meiners, "Linear and Angular Momentum", AJP, Vol. 33, #10, Oct. 1965, p. 7.
  • H. F. Meiners, "Linear and Angular Momentum", AJP, 33, # 10, Oct. 1965, p. xiii.
  • "Linear and Angular Momentum", Apparatus Notes, July 1965-December 1972, p. 7.
1Q40.57 - Conservation of Angular Momentum - Air Table