Zometool is a construction tool made up of various struts and balls (nodes). The word zome combines the word dome and zonohedron and was coined to describe buildings made using unusual geometries rather than just rectangles.
1. If it works, it works perfectly. Don't force a strut to fit in a hole it doesn't fit in!
2. Don't bend the struts to make them fit. Struts in finished models should always be straight not under tension.
3. To take apart, pull struts out of balls. Don't twist or crush the model to disassemble.
When was the last time you played with a spinning top?
Take a look at this video clip of a spinning top.
What questions do you have?
We are going to use our knowledge of physics and Zometool to answer our questions.
1. Build a top of your own design, but you must use a strut for your rotor or axis and a node for your spinning point or vertex.
2. Spin your top three different times and record the time on your lab sheet. Try to keep your spin speed as consistent as possible.
3. Determine the mean of your three spins and record in lab sheet.
4. Change the center of gravity of your top by adjusting the strut that the spinning point node attaches to. Depending on your original design this will either mean increasing or decreasing the length to create a medium, low, or high center of gravity.
5. Spin your adjusted top three times and record the times and the mean in your lab sheet .
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have a time recorded for all three center of gravity possibilities: Low, Medium, and High.
7. Post a video to Flipgrid of your best top design as it spins . The code is 579042.
Take it further - Increase the radius of your top.
8. Add onto the outside edges of your top. You will do this 3 times to create tops of increasing widths.
9. For each new width, spin your top 3 times and record in lab sheet.
10. For each width record the mean of the 3 spins.
11. Does increasing the width improve your top's ability to spin? Why or why not?
You now have the knowledge needed to build the longest spinning Zometool top possible.
12. Using what you have learned from the previous two experiments about center of gravity and angular momentum you can now build the ultimate top.
13. What is the plan for your new and improved top? How will you use the top's center of gravity and angular momentum to its advantage?
14. Spin your top 3 times and record in lab sheet. Find the mean of your 3 times and record in lab sheet.
15. Demonstrate Newton's Three Laws of Motion with your top.
16. What law of Physics keeps your top spinning upright?
17. What makes your top stop spinning and tip over?
18. Based on the data collected during your experiments with your top what can you conclude about top design?