Faster than Gravity

PIRA: 1Q20.50

Materials: Smooth Metal Ball, Faster than Gravity Contraption

The end of a board can be shown to fall faster than g when the other end is fixed to a stationary hinge. The board is propped up and a ball is placed on the tee. When the prop is removed, the end of the board falls faster than the ball, allowing the ball to fall straight down into the target cup. While all objects in free fall near Earth's surface fall with the same acceleration, the board itself is not in free fall because gravity is not the only force acting on it. This demonstration is well suited for a discussion on torques and Newton's Second Law for rotational motion.

It's a good idea to practice this one several times in advance.