Merry-Go-Round

Highlights of the activity

1. This kinesthetic activity is designed to help upper division undergraduate students visualize and experience the effect of rotational acceleration.
2. Students play catch on a merry-go-round.
3. The entire class wrap-up discussion includes student testimony of their experience of playing catch on a rotating surface, buttressing the students' understanding of rotational acceleration.

Reasons to spend class time on the activity

Nothing brings home the effect of rotational acceleration better than trying to compensate for it.

(This also makes an excellent homework problem — especially if there is a park with a merry-go-round nearby.)

Reflections

• Reflections from the original implementation.

• Reflections from "official" adapters/adopters.

• Reflections from the general public.

Instructor's Guide

• Wiki version