1Q20.50 - Falling Chimney

Code Number:
1Q20.50
Demo Title:
Falling Chimney
Condition:
Good
Principle:
Moment of Inertia
Area of Study:
Mechanics

Disclaimer

Equipment:
Falling Chimney Apparatus with Steel Ball Bearing or "Sad" Ball out of the "Happy - Sad Ball Set" and Several Pads of Sorbothane.
Procedure:

Set the apparatus up as shown. Quickly grab the supporting stick from between the hinged pieces. The ball that is on the end of the stick should land in the cup. Several pads of "Sorbothane" in the bottom of the cup will prevent the ball from bouncing out.

References:
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  • M. E. Bacon, Michael R. Harpst, and Ryohei Nakazawa, "Falling Sticks and Falling Balls", TPT, Vol. 40, #6, Sept. 2002, p. 333.
  • Hermann Härtel, "The Falling Stick with a > g", TPT, Vol. 38, #1, Jan. 2000, p. 54.
  • Ernie McFarland and Tom Kehn, "The Fantastic Physics Fun Show", TPT, Vol. 34, #8, Nov. 1996, p. 512.
  • David Kagan and Alan Kott, "The Greater-Than-g Acceleration of a Bungee Jumper", TPT, Vol. 34, #6, Sept. 1996, p. 368.
  • Uri Haber-Schaim, "On Qualitative Problems", TPT, Vol. 30, #5, May 1992, p. 260.
  • Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 30, #2, Feb. 1992, p. 126.
  • George Barnes, "Some Physics of a Falling Lamp Post", TPT, Vol. 30, #2, Feb. 1992, p. 86.
  • Joseph L. Spradley, "Meter-Stick Mechanics", TPT, Vol. 28, #5, May 1990, p. 312.
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  • Jerry L. Adams, "Acceleration Greater than 'g'", TPT, Vol. 20, #2, Feb. 1982, p. 100.
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  • Mark Denny, "Comment on 'Toy Models for the Falling Chimney,' by Gabriele Varieschi and Kaoru Kamiya [Am. J. Phys. 71 (10), 1025–1031 (2003)]", AJP, Vol. 74, #1, Jan. 2006, p. 82.
  • Rod Cross, "The Fall and Bounce of Pencils and Other Elongated Objects", AJP, Vol. 74, #1, Jan. 2006, p. 26.
  • Gabriele Varieschi and Kaoru Kamiya, "Toy Models for the Falling Chimney", AJP, Vol. 71, #10, Oct. 2003, p. 1025.
  • W. F. D. Theron, "The 'Faster Than Gravity' Demonstration Revisited", AJP, Vol. 56, #8, Aug. 1988, p. 736.
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  • Ernest L. Madsen, "Theory of the Chimney Breaking While Falling", AJP, Vol. 45, #2, Feb. 1977, p. 182.
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  • "M-104. Falling Stick Acceleration > g", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook, 1993.
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  • Richard Manliffe Sutton, "M- 206", Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Wallace A. Hilton, "Free Fall Paradox", Physics Demonstration Experiments.
  • Tik Liem, "The Mysteriously Moving Steel Ball", Investigation to Science Inquiry.
  • Borislaw Bilash II and David Maiullo, "Ball in the Cup", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 157.
  • Jearl Walker, "1.69. Falling Chimneys, Pencils, and Trees", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 34.
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  • Rocco C. Blasi, "Cenco-Miller Hinged Stick and Falling Ball Demonstrator", Physics Fun and Demonstrations.
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  • Joey Green, "Brainy Ball", The Mad Scientist Handbook, Vol. 2, p. 13.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, “Ball in a Cup“, A Demo A Day – A Year of Physical Science Demonstrations, p. 230.
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Question #43
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Answer #43
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Question #317
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Answer #317
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Question #319
PDF icon University of Maryland Physics Department QOTW Answer #319





Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.