Re: [Phys-L] ? FCI --> momentum flow

[Chuck Britton <cvbritton@mac.com>]

Interesting sidenote on an often overlooked detail of a successful Newton's Cradle.

When at rest, there is a small gap between each ball in the series.

It is rapid-fire SERIES of collisions.



On Oct 13, 2013, at 11:33 PM, John Denker <jsd@av8n.com> wrote:

> On 10/13/2013 08:04 PM, Bruce Sherwood wrote:
> > At http://www.av8n.com/physics/force-intro.htm I don't see anything about
> > Newton's cradle. What am I missing?
>
> It's there now.  Try hitting the reload button.
>
> > I've always been uncomfortable with statements to the effect that Newton's
> > cradle "proves momentum is conserved" or some such
>
> Well, I don't claim that it proves anything.  I also don't claim
> to /predict/ what any such apparatus will do.  I'm looking through
> the other end of the telescope:  *GIVEN* that we observe empirically 
> that the ball #1 swings in and ball #5 goes flying out, *THEN* the
> best way to describe it is that momentum flowed through balls #2, 3, 
> and 4.
>
> Is there a problem with that?
>
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@phys-l.org
> http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l