Elementary Mechanics Special Lab Project

[paalfis]

I don't know if this is the right forum to post this, please move it if it's not.

I am studying physics at university, and have to prepare a special research project in Lab 1 (Elementary mechanics) by my self and then present it to the rest of the group for a final grade in the course.

The type of experiments we do are mostly focused in measuring something (like K of a spring, speed of a mass, frecuency of oscilation, etc) and comparing it to what the theory says about it, by applying error theory to our results (another focus of the course is in learning to use algorithms like linear regression, chi-square, etc.)
Now we have to prepare an experiment of our own, and then present results (comparing them to what theory predicts for the case), any cool idea?

Some examples may be for example, measuring ficticious forces in a rotating system (hard to put in practice), approaching the value of the acceleration of gravity by some cool method, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Orodruin]

Some examples may be for example, measuring ficticious forces in a rotating system (hard to put in practice), approaching the value of the acceleration of gravity by some cool method, etc.

I think you already have some interesting ideas here. For studying motion of different kinds, a video camera of some sort with a known frame rate could come in very handy. Another idea would be to try to study buoyancy or similar things related to Archimedes' principle - this let's you play around with a scale and different fluids in the kitchen, which is never dull. Just putting some ideas out there...

 

[paalfis]

I think you already have some interesting ideas here. For studying motion of different kinds, a video camera of some sort with a known frame rate could come in very handy. Another idea would be to try to study buoyancy or similar things related to Archimedes' principle - this let's you play around with a scale and different fluids in the kitchen, which is never dull. Just putting some ideas out there...

Thanks! Anyway, we do have a lot of very expensive lab instruments to use, the experiment should not be 'domestic' at all! It should be very accourate, but the idea of the experiment can be anything, we can use force sensors, position sensors (for studying motion), Origin or Matlab to process the data, DAQ systems, etc..

 

[andrevdh]

Look through the mechanics section of your Physics handbook for something that you find interesting.