Light tube rotation

Back to 1D - Motion in two dimensions
PIRA index: 1D40.00

Description

A tube with two LEDs is thrown and spun in the air. The red LED is at the tube's center of mass while the yellow LED is at the end. When thrown and spun, the red LED's trajectory is a parabola.

Equipment

• Light tube

Instructions

Throw the light tube in the air such that it rotates rapidly, end over end. The red LED at the center of mass of the tube will appear to fly in a parabolic pattern.

Keywords

light tube, center of mass, rotation

Images & Movies

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  Figure1