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written by Wolfgang Christian and Mario Belloni
This item is an applet-based concept question for introductory physics on the topic of circular motion and Newton's First Law. A ball on a string in swung on a circular path. What happens to the ball's path when the string breaks? The user chooses from five animations that represent possible results. In-Class questions are intended to probe student understanding and elicit misconceptions. This particular problem is an appropriate warm-up for discussion of uniform circular motion.
This page is part of a larger collection of applets and related curriculum materials developed specifically for teaching with Physlets.
SEE RELATED ITEMS BELOW for links to the full collection, and to similar resources on this specific topic.
Please note that this resource requires at least version 1.1 of Java.
This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.
Topic: Dynamics: Forces and Motion
Unit Title: Newton's First Law & Inertia
Great warm-up exercise for an in-class discussion of uniform circular motion and the law of inertia. A ball is swung on a string in a circular path. What happens when the string breaks? Students choose from five animations that represent possible results. Team this applet with the classroom demo above titled "Partial Pie Plate".Link to Unit:
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Physlets: Classroom Exercises: Mechanics - Circular Motion:
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