AZING PHYSICS: What Can a Cone Teach Us About Motion?

[Sci-Fry]

Homework Statement

My AP physics teacher asked us to do an experiment on anything that involves a paper cone for my physics class, and I'm trying to think of something creative/original to do.

Homework Equations

No particular equations. As long as it's AP (12th grade) level physics.

The Attempt at a Solution

The only things I could come up with involved circular motion in a cone or something with sound waves, but those aren't too original. However, it also needs to be something that can be carried out in a school lab. Any interesting ideas?

 

[Andrew Mason]

Homework Statement

I need to do an experiment on anything that involves a paper cone for my physics class, and I'm trying to think of something creative/original to do.

Homework Equations

No particular equations. As long as it's IB/AP (12th grade) level physics.

The Attempt at a Solution

The only things I could come up with involved circular motion in a cone or something with sound waves, but those aren't too original. However, it also needs to be something that can be carried out in a school lab. Any interesting ideas?

You could put ice cream in one. If you can't figure out what to do with it, at least you could eat it:)

AM

 

[Sci-Fry]

Haha whilst I'm sure that would be very nourishing it would get me a zero!

Just to add some extra detail:
Basically the teacher sets a specific parameter (in this case that we need to use a cone) and then we can do whatever we want with it. However, it needs to be a doable experiment - I'll need to eventually conduct the experiment with data, results and evaluative points at the end.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Andrew Mason]

Try inverting the cone, making a small hole in the point and put sand in it. Suspend it from a long string above a clear flat surface and set it in motion. Let it go for several hours. What does the pattern of sand on the surface tell you?

AM