How Can You Source Ball Bearings of Different Diameters but Identical Mass?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a practical assignment focused on calculating how terminal velocity changes with varying diameters of ball bearings, while maintaining the same mass. The original poster seeks different sized ball bearings made of steel for their experiment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the feasibility of obtaining ball bearings of different diameters but identical mass, questioning the implications of material density and suggesting alternatives like varying mass and radius.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of ideas, with some participants suggesting practical alternatives such as using Styrofoam spheres to achieve the desired conditions. The original poster emphasizes the constraints of the assignment, indicating a lack of consensus on how to proceed within the specified requirements.

Contextual Notes

The assignment explicitly requires the use of different sphere diameters while keeping mass constant, which limits the options for participants in their suggestions.

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Hello All,

I have been giving a practical assignment to calculate how terminal velocity changes as the diamter of ball bears increase. I have chosed to use stokes law
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes'_law to assist me with the prac.

I required different sized ball bearing but must be of the same weight, using a lathe is way to extreme for this, how else can i get hold of ball bearings off different diamater and the same mass.

They must be of the same materical preferable steel.

thanks
 
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If you want different diameters with the same mass, the density of the ball has to change, meaning you need to use a different material for each ball. That's not practical, so why not use the same material and vary both mass and radius? Terminal velocity will still change with changing radius, and it's not hard to arrive at a theoretical prediction once you know the material's density.
 
ideasrule said:
so why not use the same material and vary both mass and radius? QUOTE]

The assesment task asks me to measure different "sphere diameters" not different mass or material or density
 
If you want to control the mass and vary the diameter, consider using StyrofoamTM spheres of varying diameter. You can adjust the mass by installing screws, nails, coins, etc.
 

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