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Tim,Tom,
Use a liquid-filled accelerometer of the PSSC variety which
is mounted by two strings that will remain parallel as the
unit swings as a pendulum. Notice that the accelerometer
reads zero at the bottom and is a max (towards the
equilibrium position) at each extreme of the swing. The
accelerometer remains horizontal at all times. Then bring
the (bifilar) two strings together at the support. Notice
that now the accelerometer reads zero at all points of the
swing with the reading being taken tangent to the path. A
real classroom crowd-pleaser. This is much easier to
construct that making a curved air track with an
accelerometer on the glider (as was actually demonstrated
for me by the inventor of the popular form of air track,
John Stull).
Tom Ford