elevator – Science Teaching tips from Lee Trampleasure

Ball in water on elevator: Buoyancy

OK. Float a ball in a beaker of water in an elevator. The ball floats because the buoyant force of the water displaced by the ball is equal to the weight of the water. Now, accelerate the elevator upward. What happens to the ball? Does it: Sink lower, rise higher, or stay the same? Here’s my video with the answer:...

January 15, 2009

Force data from elevator ride to top of 555 California St, SF (52 floors)

Yesterday I took a trip up the longest elevator ride in San Francisco (at 555 California St). I brought along my LabQuest and Force Plate (essentially a recording bathroom scale, see image of LabQuest at bottom of post). As I rode the elevator up and down, the LabQuest was recording my apparent weight (think about how you feel when an...

Tag: elevator

Ball in water on elevator: Buoyancy

Force data from elevator ride to top of 555 California St, SF (52 floors)