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have you ever wondered what happens when a slinky falls? it's not as simple as you might think! in this article, we'll explore the fascinating physics behind a falling slinky, using slow-motion videos and expert analysis to unravel the mystery. let's dive into the world of slinky physics and discover why this toy's behavior is so surprising.
the slow-motion slinky drop
imagine dropping a slinky from a height. what do you think would happen? would the bottom hit the ground first, or would the entire slinky fall at the same time? to find out, we turned to slow-motion cameras, capturing the slinky's fall at an incredible 300 frames per second. the results were nothing short of spectacular! check out the videos here: slinky drop answer and slinky not long enough?
the surprising answer
when we slowed down the footage, we discovered something truly unexpected: the bottom of the slinky remained stationary, even after the top was released! it wasn't until the entire slinky had collapsed down to the bottom that the bottom end began to move. this phenomenon is due to the time it takes for the information about the change in tension to propagate through the slinky. as rhett allain explains in his analysis, this is a result of the compressional wave traveling through the slinky, informing the bottom end that it's time to start falling.
the physics behind the fall
to understand why the bottom of the slinky stays stationary, we need to look at the forces at play. when the slinky is hanging, gravity pulls it down, while tension pulls it up. these forces are equal and opposite, resulting in no motion at the bottom end. when the top is released, the tension changes, and it takes time for that information to travel through the slinky. this is similar to how a wave propagates through a medium, such as sound waves traveling through air. in this case, the wave is a compressional wave, moving through the slinky and informing the bottom end that it's time to start falling.
real-world applications
the physics of a falling slinky isn't just a fun experiment; it has real-world applications, too! for example, in sports, when a bat hits a ball, the force at the business end isn't felt at the handle end until the ball is well on its way. this is because the wave has to propagate from the bat to the handle, just like the compressional wave in the slinky. understanding these concepts can help athletes improve their performance and engineers design better equipment.
conclusion
the next time you play with a slinky, remember the surprising physics behind its fall. by exploring the world of slow-motion slinky drops, we've uncovered the fascinating science that governs this simple toy. whether you're a curious child or a physics enthusiast, the slinky's behavior is a reminder that there's always something new to learn about the world around us. so, grab a slinky and start experimenting!
for more information on wave propagation and physics, check out these resources: the science of sound: a journey into the world of waves, understanding wave propagation in everyday objects, and the fascinating world of flight: exploring the history and science of airplanes.
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