Recent content by deschnell

Yes - at the top is a release mechanism. The inner tubes: there are solid rods on the carriage with rounded/beveled ends to guide them into the tubes. Because they are a relatively tight fit, they serve as dampeners.

I think it's an electromagnet being activated at ~60hz (by the sounds of it), which simply makes the 'actuator' strip vibrate back and forth in it's space. The strip is pretty thin and somewhat flexible, but it does show discoloration a bit like overheated metal - but no obvious signs of...

I think so... I'll have to check again tomorrow. I think the "electrode" at the top, upon remembering what it did when we plugged it in, vibrated back and forth between the electromagnet, hence creating a sine-wave on a paper strip as it dropped down. And yes, the pulley for use in an atwood...

beauty, thanks. Seems similar to a Gaertner Freefall aparatus, (I assumed it was something to do with freefall, but didn't get the wording right in my searches) - and the coil is likely an electromagnet, used to measure acceleration somehow. I'm off on a good enough start now - thanks! I'll...

no ideas?

I'm a student teacher, practicing some physics teaching in a new classroom with old stuff in it. My teacher associate and I can't figure out exactly what this thing is. There's a coil, with a small electrode strip coming off the top, a pulley up at the top, a manual latch up at the top to...