125 Physics Projects for the Evil Genius

587 Pages·2009·9.11 MB·English

by  Jerry Silver

125 Physics Projects
for the Evil Genius
Evil Genius Series
Bike, Scooter, and Chopper Projects for the Evil Genius
Bionics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-It-Yourself Projects
Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius: 57 Lessons with Projects
Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: 28 Build-It-Yourself Projects
Electronic Games for the Evil Genius
Electronic Sensors for the Evil Genius: 54 Electrifying Projects
50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius
50 Green Projects for the Evil Genius
50 Model Rocket Projects for the Evil Genius
51 High-Tech Practical Jokes for the Evil Genius
Fuel Cell Projects for the Evil Genius
Mechatronics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-It-Yourself Projects
MORE Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: 40 NEW Build-It-Yourself
Projects
101 Outer Space Projects for the Evil Genius
101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius
123 PIC® Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Genius
123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius
PC Mods for the Evil Genius
Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius
Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius
Telephone Projects for the Evil Genius
22 Radio and Receiver Projects for the Evil Genius
25 Home Automation Projects for the Evil Genius
125 Physics
Projects for the
Evil Genius

JERRY SILVER
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ISBN: 978-0-07-162607-1
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About the Author

Jerry Silver has developed components for terrestrial photovoltaic systems and
designed solar arrays currently providing power for more than 20 commercial
and NASA satellites. He participated in the production of high-performance
semiconductor materials used for cell phone transistors, optical communication,
and multijunction solar cells. Mr. Silver holds a B.S. in Engineering Physics
from Cornell University and an M.S. in Physics from the University of
Massachusetts. Mr. Silver currently teaches in the New Jersey area.
This book is for my wife Joanie and my kids Ally and Danny.
Acknowledgments

The author would like to gratefully acknowledge Steve Grabowski, Dan Silver,
Danielle Buggé, Tracey Jameson, Michael Dershowitz, the Wallshes,
Brookhaven Labs, John Kenney, and the folks at PASCO for assistance with the
illustrations in this book. In addition, special thanks are offered to Steve
Grabowski, Chis Aleo, Tiberiu Dragoiu, Robin Nolte, Tom Misniak, and Kim
Feltre for enabling me to be part of a world where physics is appreciated,
promoted, and shared on a daily basis.
Contents

Introduction
Section 1 Motion
Project 1 Getting started. Constant velocity. Running the gauntlet.
Project 2 Picturing motion. Getting a move on.
Project 3 The tortoise and the hare. Playing catch-up.
Project 4 How does a sailboat sail against the wind? Components of force.
Project 5 Stepping on the gas.
Project 6 Rolling downhill. Measuring acceleration.
Project 7 Independence of horizontal and vertical motion. Basketball tossed from
a rolling chair.
Project 8 Target practice. Horizontal projectile—rolling off a table.
Project 9 Taking aim. Shooting a projectile at a target.
Project 10 Monday night football. Tracking the trajectory.
Project 11 Monkey and coconut.
Section 2 Going Around in Circles
Project 12 What is the direction of a satellite’s velocity?
Project 13 Centripetal force. What is the string that keeps the planets in orbit?
Project 14 A gravity well. Following a curved path in space.
Project 15 How fast can you go around a curve? Centripetal force and friction.
Project 16 Ping-pong balls racing in a beaker. Centripetal force.
Project 17 Swinging a pail of water over your head.
Section 3 Gravity
Project 18 Feather and coin.
Project 19 How fast do things fall?
Project 20 The buck stops here (the falling dollar). Using a meterstick to
measure time.
Project 21 Weightless water. Losing weight in an elevator.
Project 22 What planet are we on? Using a swinging object to determine the
gravitational acceleration.
Section 4 Force and Newton’s Law
Project 23 Newton’s first law. What to do if you spill gravy on the tablecloth at