Discusses the working of a dial lock using a scaled-up model. (JRH)

Describes the laws of physics that allow a motorcycle rider to control the flight of a motorcycle over obstacles in a motocross track. (JRH)

Describes the construction of a bed of nails that can be used to illustrate the relationship between force and pressure. (JRH)

Presents a simple and inexpensive procedure for determining the moment of inertia of a physical pendulum both experimentally and analytically. The simplicity of the apparatus enables students to easily change parameters and obtain a wide variety of measurements. (JRH)

Presents an experiment that uses the measurements of the impulse required to stop a moving mass by three different methods to demonstrate that regardless of whether the maximum force is large or small, approximately the same impulse is required. (JRH)

Describes an experiment to measure the speed of air in the air jet caused by blowing air through a drinking straw. (JRH)

Describes an experiment to measure the acceleration of a bungee jumper. Uses energy considerations to explain this anomalous acceleration and presents experimental results using several different types of ropes and a chain. (JRH)

Presents activities that use a simple homemade apparatus called "the cannon" to demonstrate Newton's Third Law. Reviews the chemistry concepts behind the ignition of the cannon and presents the Momentum Lab and the Projectile Motion Lab. (JRH)

Describes a method to eliminate the nonlinearity from a spring that is used in experimental verification of Hooke's Law where students are asked to determine the force constant and the linear equation that describes the extension of the spring as a function of the mass placed on it. (JRH)

Discusses the theory behind a study of motion where a hollow plastic sphere racing against a steel sphere in two parallel sections of inclined channeling always reaches the bottom first; once on the floor, however, the steel sphere travels faster, speeding past the plastic sphere when both are about one meter from the base of the track. (JRH)

Presents learning activities for occupations in construction technology, designing a beam, and simple machines. (JOW)

Discusses the Doppler effect for relative motion between a source of waves and an observer and the orbital dynamics of communications satellites. Presents preliminary calculations of the satellite's altitude and linear velocity using only the concepts of the Doppler shift and the mechanics of motion in a circular path. (JRH)

Discusses the reasoning behind the determination of the distance from Earth to the Moon by the Greek philosopher Aristarchus upon observing a lunar eclipse. Presents calculations for estimating Earth's distance from the Moon using simple observations made during a solar eclipse. (JRH)

Describes the design and working of inexpensive accelerometers that can be moved by hand on an overhead projector and give an observable indication when their acceleration equals or exceeds a certain value. (JRH)