8.7: Thinking about the material
- Page ID
- 19418
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Reflect and research
- When did Lagrange publish his theory of classical mechanics, and what was the name of the publication?
- What is D’Alembert’s contribution to the field of classical mechanics?
- Who first proposed the Principle of Least Action, and when?
- What is an example of a situation not already covered that you can describe where mechanical energy is conserved?
- Under what symmetry is angular momentum conserved?
- Think of three renewable energy sources and describe how they use conservation of energy to produce electricity.
- What is a Rube Goldberg machine? Look up some videos of Rube Goldberg machines, and find the coolest one!
To try at home
- Design a small catapult or slingshot that you can build using materials found at home. Describe how these machines work using conservation of energy.
To try in the lab
- Propose an experiment to test that energy is conserved in a system where only gravity acts.
- Simulate the launch of a space probe out of the solar system using a gravity assist.
- Model and investigate the craters that are created when objects are dropped into a bed of sand.