For a recent lecture, I went to our apparatus stock room and took out our venerable Sargent-Welch projectile apparatus1 that demonstrates that a dropped ball and a horizontally launched ball hit the floor at the same time, if they are simultaneously released. A problem with this apparatus is that its small size makes it difficult for a large class to see what is going on. Furthermore, the projectiles are ball bearings, which tend to roll under chairs, benches, etc.
REFERENCES
1.
Sargent-Welch Catalog # WL0877, WL0880B, or CP32716-00. All of these launch ball bearings as projectiles.
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© 2008 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2008
American Association of Physics Teachers
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