NEWTONS FIRST LAW: KNOCK THE BOTTLES
Knock all of the milk bottles down and win a fabulous prize. To win you have to knock over all the bottles in one shot. Seems pretty easy, until you lose. The secret to getting the bottles to fall is the placement of the bottles and the power in the throw. The bottles often have different masses.
INERTIA
When the game is demonstrated, the bottles are often put into a configuration that closely resembles Pyramid A in the diagram. The bottles on the top are weighted more than the bottles on the bottom. The bottles on the bottom have less inertia, so it takes less force for them to move. It is easy to knock over the bottles with any hit.
When the game is played for real, the bottles are often put into a configuration that resembles Pyramid B, in which heavier weighted bottles are on the bottom and lighter ones at the top. It is usually very difficult to move both the heavy bottles on the bottom with just one shot because they have so much inertia.
The total force it would take to move Pyramid B is almost double the force it would take to move pyramid A. Newton's First Law states that an object at rest will "want" to stay resting, so it would be harder to move more "lazy" bottles.
CENTER OF GRAVITY
Also, Pyramid A has a different center of gravity than pyramid A. When averaging the weight distribution of Pyramid A, the center of gravity would be smack dab in the middle of the pyramid. The center of gravity is where it is easiest to topple an object over. Usually, players go for a very strong hit towards the middle of the pyramid. Because the center of gravity in Pyramid A is in the middle, it is easier to knock down. However, the center of gravity in Pyramid B is much more towards the middle. If the player were to throw a ball and apply a strong force to the middle of Pyramid B, the bottom two bottles would likely not fall over because the strike is not at the center of gravity. To use physics to your advantage, aim for the extreme bottom of the pyramid. Hitting at the center of gravity will make it more likely for the bottles to fall over.
INERTIA
When the game is demonstrated, the bottles are often put into a configuration that closely resembles Pyramid A in the diagram. The bottles on the top are weighted more than the bottles on the bottom. The bottles on the bottom have less inertia, so it takes less force for them to move. It is easy to knock over the bottles with any hit.
When the game is played for real, the bottles are often put into a configuration that resembles Pyramid B, in which heavier weighted bottles are on the bottom and lighter ones at the top. It is usually very difficult to move both the heavy bottles on the bottom with just one shot because they have so much inertia.
The total force it would take to move Pyramid B is almost double the force it would take to move pyramid A. Newton's First Law states that an object at rest will "want" to stay resting, so it would be harder to move more "lazy" bottles.
CENTER OF GRAVITY
Also, Pyramid A has a different center of gravity than pyramid A. When averaging the weight distribution of Pyramid A, the center of gravity would be smack dab in the middle of the pyramid. The center of gravity is where it is easiest to topple an object over. Usually, players go for a very strong hit towards the middle of the pyramid. Because the center of gravity in Pyramid A is in the middle, it is easier to knock down. However, the center of gravity in Pyramid B is much more towards the middle. If the player were to throw a ball and apply a strong force to the middle of Pyramid B, the bottom two bottles would likely not fall over because the strike is not at the center of gravity. To use physics to your advantage, aim for the extreme bottom of the pyramid. Hitting at the center of gravity will make it more likely for the bottles to fall over.
Above are two free body diagrams explaining the force required to move Pyramid A and Pyramid B. Pyramid A has less sum of forces than Pyramid B.
How to Win at Knock the Bottles
1. If possible, don't let the game operator arrange the bottles himself/herself.
2. Aim for the very bottom of the pyramid, where the center of gravity is.
3. Throw the ball as hard as you can, as more force = more likely to move heavy objects.
4. Win a rare and wonderful prize!!
How to Win at Knock the Bottles
1. If possible, don't let the game operator arrange the bottles himself/herself.
2. Aim for the very bottom of the pyramid, where the center of gravity is.
3. Throw the ball as hard as you can, as more force = more likely to move heavy objects.
4. Win a rare and wonderful prize!!
Newton's Second and third law: RING THE BELL
Using the hammer to ring the bell is probably the most straightforward game of them all.
This terminology will be used to describe the "ring the bell" game:
Bell: Red thing that rings at the top of the tower
Bullet: The piece that moves from the bottom to the top of the tower
Scale: The part of the tower that is hit by the hammer
Hammer: The instrument used to hit the scale
The force the player needs to exert on the the scale is equal to the force required to move the bullet up the tower. This is Newton's Third law!
The force required to move the bullet is similar to a "throwing a ball upward" problem.
Thus, this is a simple vertical acceleration problem.
F = (mass of bullet)(acceleration) - (force of gravity)
F= ma + mg
If we know the height of the tower, the acceleration needed to reach the top, and the mass of the bullet, we can calculate how much force is required to move the bullet.
Alternatively, the formula: Work = (mass)(gravity)(height) can be used to determine the total force required to move the bullet.
If the bullet is heavier and the tower is higher, more force will be required to ring the bell. This is Newton's Second Law!
How to Win at Ring the Bell
1. Often, how far the bullet travels up the tower has no relation to how hard the scale is hit.
2. However, if the game is classic and not rigged, then apply as much force as possible to the scale with the hammer
3. If the force applied with the hammer is equal to the force required for the bullet to reach the bell, the bullet will hit the bell, the bell will ring, and...
4. ...you will receive a rare and wondrous prize.
This terminology will be used to describe the "ring the bell" game:
Bell: Red thing that rings at the top of the tower
Bullet: The piece that moves from the bottom to the top of the tower
Scale: The part of the tower that is hit by the hammer
Hammer: The instrument used to hit the scale
The force the player needs to exert on the the scale is equal to the force required to move the bullet up the tower. This is Newton's Third law!
The force required to move the bullet is similar to a "throwing a ball upward" problem.
Thus, this is a simple vertical acceleration problem.
F = (mass of bullet)(acceleration) - (force of gravity)
F= ma + mg
If we know the height of the tower, the acceleration needed to reach the top, and the mass of the bullet, we can calculate how much force is required to move the bullet.
Alternatively, the formula: Work = (mass)(gravity)(height) can be used to determine the total force required to move the bullet.
If the bullet is heavier and the tower is higher, more force will be required to ring the bell. This is Newton's Second Law!
How to Win at Ring the Bell
1. Often, how far the bullet travels up the tower has no relation to how hard the scale is hit.
2. However, if the game is classic and not rigged, then apply as much force as possible to the scale with the hammer
3. If the force applied with the hammer is equal to the force required for the bullet to reach the bell, the bullet will hit the bell, the bell will ring, and...
4. ...you will receive a rare and wondrous prize.
Newton's third law: BANK BALL INTO BASKET
There are many variations of this game, but the common concept stays the same: throw a ball, bank it against a wall, it falls into a basket, win a big prize. It's deceptively easy.
The problem is Newton's Third Law. When the ball is thrown hard at the wall, the wall exerts the same amount of force back. If the ball bounces back so much, it will almost never land in the basket.
In the free body diagram below, the ball exerts the same force as the wall exerts on the ball.
The problem is Newton's Third Law. When the ball is thrown hard at the wall, the wall exerts the same amount of force back. If the ball bounces back so much, it will almost never land in the basket.
In the free body diagram below, the ball exerts the same force as the wall exerts on the ball.
How to use physics to win at this game:
1. More force = more the ball will bounce back. Less force = closer the ball will be to the basket.
Throw the ball as gently as possible. To minimize force, try to get as close to the board as possible. Aim for the ball to just touch the board rather than bounce off of it.
2. Do not aim for the center. Throw lightly and aim for the extreme top or the extreme bottom. Let gravity pull the ball down after the force in the x direction is absorbed.
3. To minimize the force in the x direction, you will have to throw at an extreme angle.
Throw at an angle to minimize force in the x direction.
4. Bank the ball, win a rare and wonderful prize!
1. More force = more the ball will bounce back. Less force = closer the ball will be to the basket.
Throw the ball as gently as possible. To minimize force, try to get as close to the board as possible. Aim for the ball to just touch the board rather than bounce off of it.
2. Do not aim for the center. Throw lightly and aim for the extreme top or the extreme bottom. Let gravity pull the ball down after the force in the x direction is absorbed.
3. To minimize the force in the x direction, you will have to throw at an extreme angle.
Throw at an angle to minimize force in the x direction.
4. Bank the ball, win a rare and wonderful prize!