Roto-Totter

PIRA: 1E20.52

Overview:

A rotating reference frame changes how things would normally be observed. When a ball is passed back and forth normally, you view the ball going in a single direction. When tossing a ball while you are rotating, the ball seems to curve away.

Materials:

A ball

Metal rotating platform

Three large brackets, they are found in the outreach room

Roto-totter apparatus, found in the outreach room behind the door

Setup:

Place the rotating platform on the ground in the middle of a large area. Place the roto-totter on top of the platform and put the brackets on to secure the two together. Make sure the roto-totter can spin freely without someone sitting on an end hitting anything.

How to:

Have two volunteers around equal weight sit on opposite sides of the roto-totter. Have them toss the ball back and forth a few times, then have them spin the roto-totter and toss the ball again.

Safety:

Do not have too much weight on the roto-totter, and do not spin the roto-totter too fast.