Info

A rubber band-loaded gun is aimed at a monkey suspended by an electromagnet. When the projectile leaves the tip of the gun, the monkey is released and both fall at the same rate. A collision ensues.

Setup Instructions

1. Set the gun at one end of the bench, and set the monkey tree roughly at the middle of the bench.

2. Plug in the DC Rectifier, and plug the connecting cables into the rectifier and the monkey tree.

3. Turn the rectifier on – the red indicator light on the gun should be on.

4. Load the bullet onto the gun by pressing it back on the spring barrel until it locks in place.

5. Carefully, put the activator bar across the two terminals: hold it with only one hand and don't touch the terminals or you may get a shock.

6. When the activator is making good contact on the terminals, the red light should go off. Now attach the monkey to the electromagnet in the tree (use a chair so the professor will also be able to climb up onto the bench).

7. Try to center the monkey on the magnet bar, so that when he is replaced he can be put back in almost the same position.

8. Line up your vision with the gun and move the monkey tree to the bench, and fire a test shot.

9. If everything works fine, set up everything for another shot and leave it for the professor to pull the trigger. The activator bar is tied to the gun, but occasionally it gets hit hard enough to come untied.

10. Make sure the bullet and the activator are with the gun when you put the demonstration away.

Parts List

Nerf Gun with brown Connecting Wires in K. Oversized, 1A

Tennis Ball on gun, K. Oversized, 1A

Monkey in K. Oversized, 1A

Monkey Tree on end of K. Oversized, by entrance door

DC Rectifier in K. Oversized, 1A

2 C-Clamps in black shelf on black wall

Relevant Simulation

Projectile Motion - Gravity, Velocity, Air Resistance - PhET
Projectile Motion

Other Information

MIT Physics Demo - Monkey and a Gun

Real-Life Examples

N/A

More Advanced Reading

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