[Univ of Cambridge] [Dept of Engineering]

Dr Hugh Hunt


TCSS Lecture, November 2004
Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things
Trinity College Cambridge


This one-hour lecture is broken up into 21 bite-sized clips in WMV format suitable for Windows Media Player and RealPlayer.

  • Introduction Clip01 (1'34")
  • Bouncing Balls Clip02 (3'20")
  • Explanation of ball bouncing under a table Clip03 (3'40")
  • Video of ball bouncing under a table Clip04 (1'57")
  • Spinning tops and Gyrsocopic Precession Clip05 (4'53")
  • Forces Clip06 (2'19")
  • Circular Motion vs Gyroscopic Motion Clip07 (1'51")
  • Introduction to Boomerangs Clip08 (0'46")
  • Newton's Laws for straight-line and circular motion. Lift Clip09 (3'13")
  • Moment of Inertia Clip10 (3'44")
  • Conservation of moment of momentum on a spinning platform Clip11 (2'10")
  • Conservation of moment of momentum - the Hubble Telescope Clip12 (4'40")
  • Conservation of moment of momentum - tossing a tennis racquet Clip13 (7'39")
  • Falling cat Clip14 (3'15")
  • The Gyroscopic Effect Clip15 (3'24")
  • The 10kg Laboratory Gyroscope from Cambridge Engineering Department Clip16 (1'30")
  • Looking for gyroscopic effects in the home Clip17 (1'49")
  • Boomerangs Clip18 (4'55")
  • Boomerang equations Clip19 (2'15")
  • Small indoor boomerangs Clip20 (2'04")
  • The end Clip21 (1'39")

    ( Dynamics Videos: go to Hugh Hunt's movies page and for other stuff: go to Hugh Hunt's Cambridge University home page )

    Contact Information: Contact Addresses

    hemh1 (at) cam.ac.uk