Monday, January 19, 2009

A Quick Lesson in Physics...

Rotational inertia is a peculiar thing. In short: get on a spinny chair; hold light weights in your hands with your hands extended; spin as fast as you can; bring the weights to the center and you will pick up some serious speed. The increased speed will also increase centrifugal force and might even tip the chair over.

On a larger scale: Take a free spinning merry-go-round; have a few large kids push it as fast as they can while on the outside edges; have the kids all at once jump on and race to the center and again the speed will dramatically increase. Now, the kids who make to the center first do not feel the extra centrifugal force as much as the kid who is a little slower and gets stuck on the outside.

I'm just glad I finally got the best of my oldest brother, David - the slower one stuck on the outside and unable to fight the HUGE increase of centrifugal force.

Okay, this might be one of those "You had to be there things" But if you have ever tried hanging on to a merry-go-round like this you know how it is.

2 comments:

Emily said...

Looks like a blast! Glad your having fun with family :)

The Ballard Family said...

That brings back tons of memories...