This weekend I got my whole family to attempt the tablecloth trick. It took my dad 4 tries, but the girls in the family got it their first try :) Ironic because dad is the phyics master in the family, always helping my sister and I with our homework. I think he didn't get it the first time because he was applying too much of an upward force versus a slight downward pull.
The famous tablecloth trick is possible and can be explained using Newton's First Law of Motion: objects at rest want to stay at rest unless and outside force acts upon them. If you pull the tablecloth fast enough it will slide right out because the friction force between the cloth and the dishes is not strong enough to pull the dishes with it. Unless the force is strong enough to overcome the dishes inertia, they will remain at rest on the table.
Haha, seemed like a great family activity! You guys were having a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA thats a great video!! Looks like you had a fun time! Cool idea of how to not break anything!
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