Roll the discs

How does the exhibit work?

Grab a disc. Carefully place it vertically on the rotating table. If the disc spins along fast enough, you can release it.Then it will automatically keep spinning on the table.

What is the science behind it?

How do you put a disc on the turntable without it flying away?

Simple: hold the disc gently against the turntable. The latter then exerts a force on the disc, which makes it spin. Faster and faster. If it has enough speed, you can let go of the disc.

To keep spinning on the turntable, the disc had to be moving fast enough. And to get it to move, you needed a force. This is also what Newton's second law says. Isaac Newton was a famous scientist. He made many important discoveries, including gravity.

Newton's 2nd law in cycling

If you want to get your bike moving, you must put a lot of force on the pedals.

Newton's 2nd law in wind turbines

When a wind turbine rotates, it can generate electrical energy. But the wind has to exert a lot of force on the blades to set them in motion.

Newton's 2nd law in bowling

If you want to knock over the pins, you have to get that heavy bowling ball moving. So roll that ball with a lot of force. And YES... STRIKE!