Program Description
We will explore the physics behind drag forces with dropping cones made from various materials. Unlike familiar physics problems, the equation of motion offers no analytical solution. However, we can use dimensional analysis to gain substantial information about the velocity dependence of the drag force. We augment this analysis by dropping cones of different sizes to apply scaling arguments to the problem. In the process, we find out how friction can indeed be your friend in the physics lab!
At the terrestrial end of the spectrum, we analyze what a winning strategy for the game of tug-of-war would be by experimenting first, deciphering later. Does it help to go to the gym to practice? Let us explore this question of winning by putting various ideas to the test using free body diagrams, choosing systems for applying them judiciously, and converting your questions to designable experiments. We hope to unravel some unusual truisms hidden beneath Newton’s laws.
Eligibility
Open to school students from 12 to 16 years in Bengaluru. Please register using the registration link below, for group participation write to 'outreach@icts.res.in'. Participation is by invitation only.
About the Speaker
Kaushik Basu enjoys the interplay of physics and mathematics, and try to see it everywhere around him. His interests are in teaching and interpreting student ideas to design experiments. He is affiliated with the Academic Talent Development Program, University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches physics and mathematics, including international students visiting UC Berkeley. He also mentors students interested in teaching, and he is a founding faculty member at Proof School. When doing neither of these, he embodies optimal fluid dynamics by swimming long distance butterfly in the open waters of the San Francisco Bay.
