The Physics of Roundabouts
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The Physics of Roundabouts
Dizzy
Download film (right-click)Award Nominees , Award Winners , Explanation , Physics , Secondary
How rotational forces work, demonstrated using a roundabout and a bucket of water.
Director's Notes:
From rollercoasters to roundabouts — it’s all go at SciCast, it seems.
In this film, 15 to 18 year-old students from the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester (home of the excellent and recently-relaunched Films for Learning project) use an old classic demonstration to explore the physics of roundabouts.
SciCast Notes:
Winner: Institute of Physics Best Physics Film, 2008
This is a quietly clever film. The ‘walk and talk’ is a classic of presenter showreels, because it turns out to be unexpectedly difficult to do. Yet here, our two hosts pull it off perfectly, arriving at their various marks to pick up their props with exact timing. Great.
Good physics, nicely shot, and a smooth script that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Very accomplished indeed.
One thought, though — if that handle on that bucket breaks, the camera operator’s going to get a bucket of water in the face. Better to swing it away from people, folks!
— Jonathan