Abstract
Lie down on a bed of nails and have someone smash a cinder block on your chest (really).
Portable
Yes – with some effort.
Principles Illustrated
Relationship between force and pressure, impulse and momentum.
Video:
Download video (right-click and “save link as”): Bedofnails.m4v
NCEA & Science Curriculum
SCI 1.1, PHYS 2.4
Instructions
Carefully lie down on the bed of nails, being sure to distribute your weight at each step. Pillow and foot supports are needed. The video shows how to climb on and off.
Safety
Climb on and off carefully and be sure to wear a safety mask if a cinder block will be smashed (see video). Cinder blocks break easily. You do not need to hit it very hard.
Individual teachers are responsible for safety in their own classes. Even familiar demonstrations should be practised and safety-checked by individual teachers before they are used in a classroom.
Related Resources
Teaching Resources
Would you like to contribute lesson suggestions? Contact us.
References
PIRA 1K30.10
Credits
This apparatus was borrowed from Murray Chishlom at Sacred Heart College in Lower Hutt near Wellington
This teaching resource was developed with support from
The MacDiarmid Institute
Faculty of Science, Victoria University of Wellington
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington