UIUC Physics
Lecture Demonstration
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Demo # 785
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Newton's Fan Cart
Description:
There is a cart with a fan and a removable sailboard that moves freely on the lecture table, or on the floor. When the fan is turned on, without the sailboard, the cart moves in the opposite direction of the air, demonstrating Newton’s third law. When the plastic sailboard is attached to the cart and the fan is turned on, the cart will not move at all because the sailboard absorbs the impact of the oncoming air.
Physics Concept:
- Mechanics
- Newton's Third Law
- Action and Reaction
The demonstration takes about 1 minute to perform.