homework – Esoteric news

April 27, 2017

Let’s Do the Shocking Physics of Why Power Lines Sag

When a cable is supported by the two ends, it will hang down a bit depending on the tension in the cable. How can you model this cable sag with a computer? The post Let’s Do the Shocking Physics of Why Power Lines Sag appeared first on WIRED.

April 21, 2017

The Wacky Physics of Firing a Ball Out of a Moving Cart

A classic physics experiment features a moving cart firing a ball into the air. What happens if you place the cart on an incline? The post The Wacky Physics of Firing a Ball Out of a Moving Cart appeared first on WIRED.

February 15, 2017

Check Out This Awesome Crash Test. Now, Let’s Run the Physics

This car barrier has rollers built into it to reduce the car impact along the direction of the rail. In this video analysis, I will calculate the acceleration of an impacting car. The post Check Out This Awesome Crash Test. Now, Let’s Run the Physics appeared first on WIRED.

February 8, 2017

Let’s Use Physics to Model the Gaps in Saturn’s Rings

When a planet has a ring system, you will often see gaps in the rings. Can these ring gaps be modeled numerically? The post Let's Use Physics to Model the Gaps in Saturn's Rings appeared first on WIRED.

December 21, 2016

Let’s-a-Go: The Physics of Jumping in Super Mario Run

When Mario jumps in Super Mario Run, is it realistic or not? What is the acceleration of Mario? How big is he? The post Let's-a-Go: The Physics of Jumping in Super Mario Run appeared first on WIRED.

December 21, 2016

Here’s How Much That Lego Brick You Stepped on Is Worth

Here is a sign that shows a quarter pound of Lego for $8.99. What does this say about the distribution of Lego blocks? Density included. The post Here’s How Much That Lego Brick You Stepped on Is Worth appeared first on WIRED.

October 19, 2016

The Physics of Jumping Off an 8-Story Building and Not Dying

This video shows a guy jumping off a tall building and into water. He just misses a dock, but it's a great example of projectile motion. The post The Physics of Jumping Off an 8-Story Building and Not Dying appeared first on WIRED.

October 6, 2016

Let’s Put the Water Back on Top of Antarctica

How much energy would it require to move 1 meter depth of water from the ocean to the top of the Antarctica ice sheet? The post Let's Put the Water Back on Top of Antarctica appeared first on WIRED.

July 18, 2016

Hey Let’s Do the Physics of a Crazy Person Launching From a Huge Slingshot

Here is a stunt that launches humans into the air with a giant slingshot. The humans then parachute down. It's a great introductory physics problem. The post Hey Let’s Do the Physics of a Crazy Person Launching From a Huge Slingshot appeared first on WIRED.

May 17, 2016

The Independence Day: Resurgence Spaceship Has Its Own Gravity

In the trailer for Independence Day: Resurgence, the alien spacecraft seems to gravitationally lift some buildings. What kind of mass would it have to have to do this? The post The Independence Day: Resurgence Spaceship Has Its Own Gravity appeared first on WIRED.