1D10.20 - Bicycle Wheel - Cycloid Generator | Instructional Resources and Lecture Demonstrations

Using Velcro, attach the 9 volt battery with LED unit onto the rim of the bicycle wheel.

In a darkened room you will see that in the reference frame of the bicycle wheel, the LED moves in a circle. However, if you role the wheel along the lecture bench, you will see that the LED describes a cycloid when looked at from the benches reference frame.

Code Number:

1D10.20

Demo Title:

Bicycle Wheel - Cycloid Generator

Condition:

Excellent

Principle:

Reference Frames

Area of Study:

Mechanics

Disclaimer

Equipment:

Bicycle Wheel, 9 volt battery with Velcro, LED unit for 9 volt battery.

Procedure:

Using Velcro, attach the 9 volt battery with LED unit onto the rim of the bicycle wheel. In a darkened room you will see that in the reference frame of the bicycle wheel, the LED moves in a circle. However, if you role the wheel along the lecture bench, you will see that the LED describes a cycloid when looked at from the benches reference frame.

References:

Roger Blickensderfer, "The Wheel and the Galilean Transformation", TPT, Vol. 26, # 3, p. 160, March 1988.
Peter L. Tea, Jr., "On Seeing Instantaneous Centers of Velocity", AJP, Vol. 58, # 5, May 1990, p. 495.
Charles T. P. Wang, "Problem: Motion of a Rigid Body On a Cycloid Track", AJP, Vol. 50, # 12, p. 1178, Dec. 1982.
S- 020: "Tractor on Paper-Chalk in Hoop", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
Paul Wallich, "LED Candles", Popular Science, August 2006, p. 83.

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