I have started collecting video clips taken with my vid camera and my cell phone, for use as examples in my physics classes. If anyone is interested, please feel free to use any of the following:
1. A Toyota hybrid (mine) being towed up a tow truck ramp. Actual values for car mass, ramp angle, and coefficient of rolling friction are given in the video comments. Forces can be labeled, divided into components, and the tension in the tow cable calculated. (For those doing torques, the diameter of the winch roller was about 10 inches). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DJRU2VjBjx4E
2. The cart for a county fair "Tractor pull", showing the weighted box being lowered back into position for the next contestant. (Explanation of how the cart works is provided in the video comments section) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DzdLDVCNgezQ
3. A tractor entered in the tractor pull event. Shows the tractor pulling the cart. The rise in the weighted box is visible., Video notes describe how this increases the force of kinetic friction, opposing the tractor's motion, the farther the tractor pulls. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkAus_TVKzbM
If there is interest in sharing any of these 'real-life physics' examples, I will be posting more. I have some video clips I captured of different fair rides, which may be useful for calculating how acceleration and number of g's experienced change in circular motion. There are also many 'instructional' videos already on YouTube for teaching billiards techniques, many of which show vectors for velocity, which can be readily related to conservation of energy and conservation of momentum.
- Ann R.
Dr. Ann M. Reagan
Adjunct Faculty
Department of Math/Physics/Engineering
College of Southern Maryland, Leonardtown Campus