When a Slinky sits atop a staircase, gravity acts on the toy, keeping it still. ... Gravity begins to provide this force, as soon as the Slinky is cast down a stairway. This motion is sustained through a directional wave that ricochets throughout the coil and stops when the toy hits the bottom of the stairs .
Why do Slinky bottoms stay still?
Held from midair, the Slinky stretches out, quickly reaching a condition known as “equilibrium.” in which the downward force of gravity is balanced by the upward tension of the coils above it. When the top is released , the bottom stays suspended. The top of the Slinky collapses, so that the coils slam into each other.
What’s the science behind Slinky?
As the Slinky moves down the steps, kinetic energy transfers from coil to coil in a longitudinal wave. The speed of the wave depends on the tension and mass of the coil. The smaller the mass, the tighter the tension, the faster energy is transferred, the faster energy moves through the Slinky.
What force does a Slinky use?
From the whole slinky point of view, there is only one force on the slinky – the gravitational force . This means that it falls and accelerates downward with an acceleration of -9.8 m/s 2 just like all free-falling objects.
What will happen if you move the Slinky back and forth?
Notice that a wave travels along the slinky . This wave is a wave of motion back and forth along the slinky which travels along the slinky, because the back and forth motion is in the same line as the direction of motion this is called a longitudinal wave. ... This type of wave is also called a compression wave.
What happens when a slinky is dropped?
As they meet the collapsed slinky then moves towards the ground . This happens because the bottom end has balanced forces acting upon it (gravity pulling it down and tension in the spring pulling it up). Only when the top meets the bottom does the change in force make the whole slinky move downwards.
What happens when you let go of a slinky?
Held from midair, the Slinky stretches out, quickly reaching a condition known as “ equilibrium .” in which the downward force of gravity is balanced by the upward tension of the coils above it. When the top is released, the bottom stays suspended. The top of the Slinky collapses, so that the coils slam into each other.
Can a Slinky go up stairs?
The original Slinky, according to wikipedia, had 98 coils. This slinky has 87 coils. It is not long enough to climb down stairs , which was the express purpose for which I purchased this product.
How long can a Slinky be stretched?
If you stretch a standard Slinky out flat, it would measure 87 feet long .
Would a Slinky go forever on an escalator?
If an ideally perfect Slinky will keep moving down a staircase at a constant speed (no matter how long the staircase might be), then it will keep moving in just the same way on an escalator adjusted to that speed .
What do you observe in the slinky as you push your slinky towards your partner?
Notice that a wave travels along the Slinky from you to your partner. The vibrating parts of the Slinky move back and forth in the same direction as the wave is traveling. This type of wave is called a longitudinal wave, or a compression wave, and it’s a model for seismic primary waves, or P waves.
What is it called when the slinky links are close together?
Notice the motion of the slinky which is called longitudinal motion . ... At the nodes of motion near your hands however the slinks bunch together and then spread apart: the pressure changes a lot. The hand-held ends are antinodes of pressure.
What happen when seismic waves travel deeper into the crust?
Seismic stations located at increasing distances from the earthquake epicenter will record seismic waves that have traveled through increasing depths in the Earth. ... Molten areas within the Earth slow down P waves and stop S waves because their shearing motion cannot be transmitted through a liquid.
Do waves carry matter?
It is important to remember that all waves transfer energy but they do not transfer matter .
What does the P stand for in P wave?
Compressional waves are also called P-Waves, (P stands for “primary” ) because they are always the first to arrive.
