- #1
Richardj1701
- 1
- 0
ABSTRACT:
I have a collection of springs and disks (masses) to choose from. I have a solid rod fixed to the ground. I slide a piece of sheet metal into the rod to act as a base. I now slide a disk into the rod. Then a spring. Then another disk. Then another spring. And one final disk. I now lift the system (from the sheet metal base) to a desired height. After releasing the system, it drops and we can observe conservation of momentum since the top-most disk will shoot upwards.
GOAL:
Under what category of physics would you place this? I want to know what I have to research in order to analyze the physics behind this reaction. (My end goal is to maximize the speed at which that top most disk flies off.)
ATTEMPTS:
I've looked into coupled, spring-mass systems, but I don't think that this will help me since my system is not so much coupled but sitting on each other.
I have a collection of springs and disks (masses) to choose from. I have a solid rod fixed to the ground. I slide a piece of sheet metal into the rod to act as a base. I now slide a disk into the rod. Then a spring. Then another disk. Then another spring. And one final disk. I now lift the system (from the sheet metal base) to a desired height. After releasing the system, it drops and we can observe conservation of momentum since the top-most disk will shoot upwards.
GOAL:
Under what category of physics would you place this? I want to know what I have to research in order to analyze the physics behind this reaction. (My end goal is to maximize the speed at which that top most disk flies off.)
ATTEMPTS:
I've looked into coupled, spring-mass systems, but I don't think that this will help me since my system is not so much coupled but sitting on each other.
