Cool Large Scale Physics Projects

[poonintoon]

Hello,

I am looking for a physics/engineering project that is doable over a couple of weeks and has a bit of wow factor. Building a trebuchet would be a good example but I would like to do something else. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[DrClaude]

How about Lord Kelvin's thunderstorm?

 

[Bobbywhy]

Use existing building shadows to make sundials to measure local sun time and date. Fix small mirrors on walls to cast spots of sunlight for the same purpose. All this teaches the sun-earth relative position and relative motions.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Foucault's pendulum could be impressive - if you have a handy stair well in a tall building. (Good publicity for your Physics Department.)

 

[ZapperZ]

Hello,

I am looking for a physics/engineering project that is doable over a couple of weeks and has a bit of wow factor. Building a trebuchet would be a good example but I would like to do something else. Any ideas?

Thanks.

We get question of this type rather often, and I am always puzzled why people who asked such questions never bother to explain what type of knowledge he/she possessed, and what kind of resources were available for him/her to use!

A lot of what can and cannot be done are intimately tied to those two factors. It is a waste of time and effort to suggest something, only to get a reply that "Oh, I don't have the money to get such-and-such" or "Oh, I'm still in Middle School and have no idea what you're talking about".

So please include what you know, and what are available for you to use in this project, and any other relevant information that you think someone who doesn't know you and doesn't know your situation would need to know.

Zz.