Equipment:
Theory: Objects that travel in straight lines when observed in a stationary frame of reference appear to follow curved paths when viewed from a frame of reference that is rotating at a constant rate. This is known as the Coriolis effect.
Description: The turntable is essentially a lazy Susan covered with a sheet that will brighten wherever pressure is applied to it. When a steel ball bearing is rolled across the turntable, the sheet will record the path of the ball. When the turntable is rotating (a small angular velocity is all that's needed) the path of the ball is recorded as a curved line, even though the ball actually follows a straight line in a stationary frame.
Setup time: 5 minutes
Previous category : Moving reference frames - Crossing the river 1E10.10
Next category : Newton's first law - Inertia ball 1F20.10