Re: breaking glasses

[John Barrer <forcejb@YAHOO.COM>]

Maybe items tend to fall heavy-side down and the heavy
side is stronger. On the bounce, they don't land so
fortuitously? Maybe you could persuade a glassware or
tableware company to donate a large number of rejects
and do a study. Lots of independent variables to
consider here. A great "test-to-failure" lab that many
male students would love. "When can we blow something
up????"
Another "how come" question that's usually good for
intro phys students: "Ever notice that if you come to
a gradual stop in your std trans car on a level road,
when you release the brake pedal (with clutch in or
trans in neutral) the car almost rolls just a little
bit and then stops?" B/c of teenagers' typical
fixation with cars, this always generates discussion.

--- Zach Wolff <zachary_wolff@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> I dropped a plate the other day and watched it
> bounce,
> then break on its second impact.  I think I've
> noticed
> this happen fairly often, although my memory is
> admittedly colored by selective attention and
> limited
> to a fairly small sample.  I talked to two friends
> in
> the restaurant business who get to watch glasses
> break
> all the time.  They reported that it is very common
> for glasses to break on second impact.  One actually
> offered this information without my asking, in a
> fortuitous coincidence.  My question is, why?
>
> Zach
>
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