The Physics Behind Tablecloth Trickery: Newton & Inertia

[AfRoMaNn]

What exactly happens when a tablecloth is pulled out from underneath a table setting, and everything on the table stays put? Newtons laws certainly applies to it but maybe inertia as well?

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

Newton's first law and inertia are practically the same. Perhaps worded differently sometimes, but it all refers to the same "phenomena".

You also need a low coefficient of friction between glassware and table cloth, high speed, and preferably low centers of mass for each piece.

 

[vlado_skopsko]

Yes. And the coefficient of friction (The force of friction) does not depend on speed (it is an empirical equation, so it may depend a little), so faster you pull the tablecloth, less time force acts on the glasses and stuff.

 

[dreit]

Yes, my previous physics teacher performed this as a demonstration in class once, and looking back at it now it makes much more sense