Mechanical energy analysis of a boomerang mechanism

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31349/RevMexFisE.17.19

Keywords:

Boomerang, Energy conservation, Lagrange equations, Newton’s laws, Harmonic movement

Abstract

In this paper, we present a comparison of classical theory with video analysis techniques to teach kinetic and potential energy of a device with a boomerang effect as an observable and measurable concept. The device can store energy through an elastic band when it rolls down an inclined plane and can release the energy when it rolls on a horizontal surface; hence, the name Boomerang. In theoretical terms, the details of energy charge and discharge processes are analysed with Newton’s laws and Lagrangian method. The experimental results were recorded with cell phone cameras and processed with an open-source video analysis software, called ’Tracker’. The comparison shows relevant concepts about kinetic and potential energy, which can help the student to overcome some of the typical student misconceptions.

Author Biographies

C. Álvarez-Macías, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna

Profesor Investigador Titular C; División de estudios de Posgrado e Investigación

L. Salgado-Conrado, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila

Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica

J. De la Cuz Canul, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna

Unidad de Posgrado e Investigación

and M. Rivero Corona, CONACyT-Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna

Investigador de Cátedras CONACyT, División de estudios de Posgrado e Investigación

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Published

2020-01-28

How to Cite

[1]
C. Álvarez-Macías, L. Salgado-Conrado, J. De la Cuz Canul, and and M. R. Corona, “Mechanical energy analysis of a boomerang mechanism”, Rev. Mex. Fis. E, vol. 17, no. 1 Jan-Jun, pp. 19–26, Jan. 2020.

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 Jan-Jun (2020): Revista Mexicana de Física E

Section

02 Education in Physics

License

Copyright (c) 2020 Carlos Álvarez-Macías, Lizbeth Salgado-Conrado, Juan Pablo De la Cuz Canul

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the Revista Mexicana de Física E right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.