1M40.80 • Conservation of Energy: Conservation of Angular Momentum: Euler’s Disk

Location: Cabinet 2

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

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Concepts Conveyed:

• The two concepts that can be conveyed are conservation of energy and angular momentum.
• Kinetic energy is given to the disk as it is spun.
• The mirror surface minimizes friction as much as possible showing the back and forth exchange of kinetic and potential energy overtime.

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Instructions / Notes:

• Set the disk upright on the mirror surface.
• Spin it!
• After it finishes spinning, optionally add some of the magnets on one or both sides of the disk, and spin again.
• This can be a good comparison to show how the friction created by the magnets can affect the disk's spin, thus causing a quicker stop.

Last updated on February 24, 2025