Skate and grab: Qualitative Testing Experiment

Aim

Another test of your circular motion model

Prior Knowledge

• Circular motion.

Description of the Experiment

Eugenia and David skate towards each other (slightly off line). As they pass each other, they link hands. Predict how they will move after they have linked hands. Use your knowledge of Newton's second law as applied to circular motion. Then watch the video.

	Frame rate: 15fps Size: 400 X 300 File Size: 1.18Mb
Please wait or read the page while the movie loads up. (This may take a while.) You will need QuickTime to view the movies. If you want to download the movie to your computer, right-click or control-click HERE.

Questions

Now that you have watched the video, did your prediction agree with what you observed? If your prediction was incorrect, try and use your physics knowledge to explain what you see. Decide what is the difference between the motion of David and Eugenia after they start holding hands. What other objects in addition to Eugenia exert forces on David?