Central Forces: Ball on a String

Photo shows the dmonstration used at the University of Texas at Austin.

Instructions / Notes:

• AThe demonstration includes a tennis ball affixed to a one meter string.
• The ball can be swung in circles of various orientations.
• Swinging the ball in a circle that is aligned parallel to the blackboard, strategically time release of the ball at different points on its arc.
• Have students predict the trajectory for release at different points before releasing the ball.

Last updated on November 7, 2024