1F20.25 - Bed of Nails - Smash a Block | Instructional Resources and Lecture Demonstrations

Code Number:

1F20.25

Demo Title:

Bed of Nails - Smash a Block

Condition:

Good

Principle:

Pressure vs. Surface Area

Area of Study:

Mechanics

Disclaimer

Equipment:

Large and Small Beds of Nails, Protective Shield, Safety Mask, and Sledge Hammer.

Procedure:

Place one of the large bed of nails on the floor and have someone lay on it. Provide a protective pillow for the head. Cover the face with the protective Plexiglas plate and then place a cement block on the chest of the volunteer "victim". Break the block with a sledge hammer.

Place 4 Dixie cups on the table and carefully place the lead brick on them. Pound the center of the brick with the hammer and the cups will not collapse. Lift the block a little and drop it onto the cups and they will collapse.

References:

Gerardo Giordano, "The Physics of Warfare", TPT, Vol. 53, #3, March 2015, p. 151.
Huang Guo-xiong, "Unbroken Eggs", TPT, Vol. 34, #5, May 1996, p. 311.
.H.T. Hudson, "The Most Obvious Explanation Is Not Always Correct", TPT, Vol. 26, #1, Jan. 1988, p. 34.
Dennis P. Zicko, "Demonstration: A Nail Driven Into Wood", TPT, Vol. 18, #1, Jan. 1980, p. 50.
Mario Iona, "Letters - Force is Essential", TPT, Vol. 18, #4, Apr. 1980, p. 256.
James C. Dennis, "The Stephen F. Austin Traveling Science Show" (Figure 2), TPT, Vol. 16, #1, Jan. 1978, p. 12.
Gerald L. Hodgson, "Weight Distribution in A Bed of Nails Sandwich", TPT, Vol. 13, #1, Jan. 1975, p. 52.
Manfred Bucher, "The Bed of Nails Revisited", AJP, Vol. 56, #9, Sept. 1988, p. 806.
"Strength", Guinness World Records 2003, "Greatest Weight Broken On Chest While Lying On Bed Of Nails", p. 38.
David Kutliroff, "35. Fakir Physics", 101 Classroom Demonstrations and Experiments For Teaching Physics, p. 80.
Jearl Walker, "1.56. Beds of Nails", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 27.
"F-035. Seat and Bed of Nails", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
G. D. Freier and F. J. Anderson, "Ml-2", A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

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