Northwestern Physics Demos                                 Go back to Mechanics
DCS# 1N30.10NWU# M-20Location:    under cat walk
title: Collision Balls
aka: Newton's Cradle

Description:
Elastic balls are hung so they have a minimum of space between each.  When one ball swings in to strike the rest, one ball will bounce off the other end, if all have the same mass. (larger ball can be drapped around a support to remove it from the collision.)

Questions:
   What would happen if two balls are launched toward the rest?
   Would this work on the Moon?
   What will happen if the mass of one of the balls is larger?
pix of plastic rocket in traypix of apparatus