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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Physics Project Ideas

    As part of my physics class I have to come up with a project. After thinking about it for awhile I've found myself stuck for ideas, so I decided to come to the playground for some inspiration.

    Here's a quick summary of what I need to do for this project.
    I have to make a project on one of these four topics, projectiles, collisions, springs or circular motion. I need to make a experiment that demonstrates the concepts learned in the topic. I also need to make a smaller version that can be used as a demonstration in class.

    Oh, this is at high school level physics, so nothing too complicated

    If anyone has some ideas for what to do it would be appreciated. Preferbly something interesting but not too ambitious.
    Thanks to Skeppio for my avatar.

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    newton's cradle
    about as original as a mud volcanoe; but it's simple, looks good, and involves newtonian physics.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Billiard-Ball Computing is a pretty fun computation model based on newtonian mechanics.

    Dunno if it's a bit hard as a project, but for example explaining a little why reversible computation is interesting (make sure you mention Landauer's Principle: basically, erasing information increases the temperature of the system, and this cannot be avoided), then showing a simulation of, say, an And gate (you can find a pretty good simulator here as a java applet, you could do some other gate too but they can get seriously tricky) could already make for a really cool presentation, and I at least would be perfectly willing to consider the computer simulation as an "experiment" - but otherwise, implementing an "and" gate for reals should be also possible.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    you... get to choose what to do?

    madness.

    we had to make a spring launcher. ( that is, something that launches springs of their own power. not something that uses springs to launch things.)
    so that would be projectiles and springs.

    trebuchets or catapults would be projectiles and circular motion.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Science Officer View Post
    trebuchets or catapults would be projectiles and circular motion.
    This. A thousand times this. Both of these siege weapons utilize tons of physics goodies, and as part of your demonstration, you get to knock something to smithereens. You don't lose. (Sidenote: I loved the trebuchet project I had in my high school physics class)

    If you need to back it up with physics, trebuchets fire their projectiles in an arc, and there is hopefully an awesome collision with some object at the end of said arc.
    -Vonriel

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    i would talk to your teacher before proceeding with a catapult of any sort. over the years kids have gotten in trouble for bringing "weapons" to school.
    with a teacher's go-ahead you're just better off.
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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Build a simple Centrifugal governor, connected to the throttle of an electric or gasoline motor.

    You could also construct something like the centrifugal governor used in old rotary phones to brake the dial as it rotates back into position.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Put ferrofluid around a magnet and then spin it. That counts right?

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by thubby View Post
    i would talk to your teacher before proceeding with a catapult of any sort. over the years kids have gotten in trouble for bringing "weapons" to school.
    with a teacher's go-ahead you're just better off.
    I'm not talking anything big enough to break anything, here. Just a simple contraption a little bigger than a shoebox, with about enough power to knock over some styrofoam blocks, maybe. If any kid gets in trouble over that, well... no, scratch what I said, I entirely expect that to happen, so it's probably a good idea to talk to your teacher.
    -Vonriel

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    Ettin in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Sacrieur View Post
    Put ferrofluid around a magnet and then spin it. That counts right?

    Or you could build a ferrofluid self cycling waterfall that operates mainly thorugh magnets and heat.

    But really, if you just take it to school and shout IT CURES CANCER! you are assured a great grade or first place in science fair.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Ferrofluids are so cool. I first learned about ferrofluids after watching Terminator 2 and wondering if there was anything that could work like that in real life. While ferrofluids aren't quite the same, they are still super neat in their own right and really weird and beautiful.
    Last edited by Ravens_cry; 2011-04-01 at 03:55 AM.
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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Ravens_cry View Post
    Ferrofluids are so cool. I first learned about ferrofluids after watching Terminator 2 and wondering if there was anything that could work like that in real life. While ferrofluids aren't quite the same, they are still super neat in their own right and really weird and beautiful.
    Ferrofluids work by binding a special compound to metal, disallowing the metal to bond with itself and share electrons. This new compound looks like a liquid metal, mostly because it is.
    Last edited by Sacrieur; 2011-04-01 at 10:07 AM.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    It doesn't cover springs, but if you build a particle accelerator you can cover all 3 other topics!

    ...and it probably wouldn't be too hard to actually build one. I mean, I'm not suggesting it, but you could probably do it as a college-level project...
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    Troll in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    I'd say do a trebuchet if possible. I had alot of fun with that project (high school) and the one I built threw 2nd farthest out of all the classes (including the AP classes). I might post a video later today if anyones interested.

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    It would be easy to set up an experiment with a cup, some water and a little bit of twine to demonstrate how circular motion results in centrifugal force through inertia.

    Just drill three little equidistant holes in the cup, string bits of twine of equal length through them so you can spin it freely, fill the cup with a little bit of water and, well, spin it freely

    Just be sure none of the twine is going to snap or come loose while you're spinning it - that would be bad!
    "Nothing has to be true, but everything has to sound true." - Isaac Asimov (Second Foundation)



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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Thanks for the ideas everyone. I haven't decided what to do yet, but I have till the end of the week to decide. A trebuchet sounds like fun.
    Thanks to Skeppio for my avatar.

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    Ettin in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Sacrieur View Post
    Ferrofluids work by binding a special compound to metal, disallowing the metal to bond with itself and share electrons. This new compound looks like a liquid metal, mostly because it is.
    Nope, it's a colloidal suspension made of metal particles coated in a surfactant (read an oil) (which also prevents them from joining up) suspended in a liquid phase (normally something hydrophobic to tolerate the oil). It's more of a liquid that has metal inside but cannot split from it.

    It's relatively easy to make if you have ammonia handy (which in my country is a regulated substance).
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by araveugnitsuga View Post
    Nope, it's a colloidal suspension made of metal particles coated in a surfactant (read an oil) (which also prevents them from joining up) suspended in a liquid phase (normally something hydrophobic to tolerate the oil). It's more of a liquid that has metal inside but cannot split from it.

    It's relatively easy to make if you have ammonia handy (which in my country is a regulated substance).
    vegetable oil and toner works. it seperates, but it stays long enough to do goofy ferofluid antics.
    Last edited by thubby; 2011-04-04 at 10:10 PM.
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    Ettin in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by thubby View Post
    vegetable oil and toner works. it doesnt stay suspended for very long, but enough to do a demonstration.
    That one is not a true ferrofluid, it's actually an electrorheological fluid.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chain View Post
    It would be easy to set up an experiment with a cup, some water and a little bit of twine to demonstrate how circular motion results in centrifugal force through inertia.
    I guess this one was ok in high school, I can't remember exactly. However, try this in college, and your professor will give you an earful about how centrifugal force doesn't exist and it's all centripetal force. Personally, I think they mean the same thing, but some pedant somewhere wanted to start something, so now students everywhere are confused.
    -Vonriel

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Vonriel View Post
    I guess this one was ok in high school, I can't remember exactly. However, try this in college, and your professor will give you an earful about how centrifugal force doesn't exist and it's all centripetal force. Personally, I think they mean the same thing, but some pedant somewhere wanted to start something, so now students everywhere are confused.
    Appropriate xkcd here. Funny and technically accurate.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by IthilanorStPete View Post
    Appropriate xkcd here. Funny and technically accurate.
    That, sir, is xkcd in a nutshell, I approve.
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    Last edited by Ravens_cry; 2011-04-04 at 11:01 PM.
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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by araveugnitsuga View Post
    Nope, it's a colloidal suspension made of metal particles coated in a surfactant (read an oil) (which also prevents them from joining up) suspended in a liquid phase (normally something hydrophobic to tolerate the oil). It's more of a liquid that has metal inside but cannot split from it.

    It's relatively easy to make if you have ammonia handy (which in my country is a regulated substance).
    D=, this is what I get for not being a physicist.

    Anyway, I had my physics TA told me centrifugal force didn't exist, and then he wondered why he got two answers from a 2nd degree equation. I 'bout got up and left.
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    HalfOrcPirate

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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Ferrofluids: There's an easier way...
    An even cheaper way would be to dissolve/suspend black iron oxide in kerosene (might not be a true ferrofluid though).

    Quote Originally Posted by araveugnitsuga View Post
    It's relatively easy to make if you have ammonia handy (which in my country is a regulated substance).
    Don't you have horses in your country?
    Last edited by Autolykos; 2011-04-14 at 07:40 AM.

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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    You should devise some kind of spinthariscopes. Everybody loves isotopes.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Sacrieur View Post
    D=, this is what I get for not being a physicist.

    Anyway, I had my physics TA told me centrifugal force didn't exist, and then he wondered why he got two answers from a 2nd degree equation. I 'bout got up and left.
    I'm not even out of high school yet actually.

    Quote Originally Posted by Autolykos View Post
    Ferrofluids: There's an easier way...
    An even cheaper way would be to dissolve/suspend black iron oxide in kerosene (might not be a true ferrofluid though).

    Don't you have horses in your country?
    Natively we have llamas and alpacas, however a section of the population does have horses, however they are mostly imported since the ones bred here suck.

    And there is an even easier method, mix ferric chloride with steel wool to get ferrous chloride. You then mix those with water and ammonia and get Magnetite. NaOH is harder to get than housecleaning ammonia (In 90% of the world, damned be the paranoid chemical regulations in my country). No Massart involved.

    However, the next part is basically the same, get an oleate to adsorb itself to the magnetite to get micelle, suspend micelle in hidrophobic solution, get Ferrofluid.


    As for a physics experiment, a Gauss Rifle is easy, cool and physic, Ferrofluids are more akin to chemistry.
    Last edited by AsteriskAmp; 2011-04-14 at 11:49 PM.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    I kind of wish he'd tell us which project he decided to go with in the end. Anyone else feel the same way?
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by Vonriel View Post
    I kind of wish he'd tell us which project he decided to go with in the end. Anyone else feel the same way?
    Heh, sure thing.

    In the end I decided to do it on projectiles. I made a ramp and launched balls of varying masses and sizes off it to see what difference it would make.

    Not as fun as catapaults but they would have been too much trouble.
    Last edited by Level8Mudcrab; 2011-04-15 at 04:44 AM.
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Quote Originally Posted by araveugnitsuga View Post
    As for a physics experiment, a Gauss Rifle is easy, cool and physic, Ferrofluids are more akin to chemistry.
    If you're going down this road, a Railgun is easier to build and looks much more impressive. If you have enough power, you can shoot small balls of tin foil that actually start glowing when they leave the barrel. A car battery or some NiCd cells plus a bunch of SuperCaps (double-layer capacitors, to be exact) should do the job - the main trouble is to get switches that have low enough resistance and won't melt/fry when you send a few Amperes through them (I'd stick to mechanical relays, most semiconductors won't survive such abuse for long).
    If you do, Vid please

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    Ettin in the Playground
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    Default Re: Physics Project Ideas

    Lets make it simpler how about a Coilgun instead?
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