Hooked on Science: Bowling ball nose-basher

It's something we use at the bowling alley, but have you ever considered using a bowling ball for an experiment that will encourage you to trust science.

Materials

* 10 pound bowling ball

* String

Instructions

STEP 1: Securely attach the string to the bowling ball.

STEP 2: Securely attached the string, with the bowling ball, to the ceiling.

STEP 3: Pull the bowling ball to your nose. Let go. Do not push the bowling ball, just let go. Do not move forward, stand still. If you push the bowling ball or move forward it could hit you in the face, causing injury.

Explanation

The swinging bowling ball demonstrates the conservation of energy. The total amount of energy the bowling ball has, stays the same, until you do something to change this energy. You can change the amount of energy by pushing the bowling ball. This would cause the bowling ball to hit you in the face. Potential energy or stored energy is at its greatest when you are holding the bowling ball to your nose. Once you let go, potential energy changes to kinetic energy, or energy in motion.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webacasts and experiments.