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Re: [Phys-l] Another tire question



On 11/09/2007 01:33 PM, John Barrer wrote:
Maybe I'm missing the point or grossly
oversimplifying, but can't you just view this problem
as if the wheels were sitting on coil springs

The boundary between "simplifying" and "oversimplifying"
depends on the audience, and is partly a matter of taste.

I think most folks on this list figured out years ago
that tires are somewhat spring-like.

At the next level of detail, some people may want to
know about the internal structure, and how structure
relates to function.

In the case of coil springs,
a) How would things change if I made the spring out
of bronze instead of steel?
b) How would it change if I doubled the diameter of
the wire *and* doubled the overall length of the spring?

I think these are reasonable questions. They have been
part of modern science since Day One i.e. since 1638.
And by the way the answers are nontrivial; anyone who
hasn't done his homework is very likely to guess wrong.

Asking similar questions about tires seems appropriate, and
nicely aligned with the recent call for "practical physics"
examples.

Such problems, in addition to being fun and practical, are
good exercise. The tire puzzle in particular reminds me in
some ways of real research problems:
-- It is not plug-and-chug. The statement of the problem
does not suggest the method of solution.
-- The analysis integrates a number of seemingly disparate
ideas. This is in contrast to the "end of chapter 7"
problems, that use only the methods taught in chapter 7.