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Discuss with the class the several principles that cause a boomerang
to return when thrown properly.
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Discuss with the class the throwing technique of a boomerang. (A
boomerang is launched almost vertically. The angle depends on the speed
of the wind. If a boomerang were to be launched horizontally, it would
begin to climb until the wings stalled. At this point, the boomerang
would simply fall to the ground. The boomerang is also thrown at an
angle to the wind. The thrower starts by facing the wind and turns about
50 degrees to his right or left, depending on whether the thrower is
right or left-handed. With the proper angle to the wind, the boomerang
will return to you as planned).
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Go out on the playing field and practice the hold of the boomerang
together. Then ask for a couple of volunteers to try and throw the
boomerang so that it will return. Continue with just a couple of
students until they have it mastered and then go onto a new group of
students. (If everyone tries at once there may be some mishaps).
Continue with each small group until everyone can throw the boomerang.
Also, make sure that people are far enough away from each other to be
safe.
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Continue throwing the boomerang until everyone feels somewhat
comfortable.
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Have a volunteer video tape the boomerang as it is thrown and
successfully returned.
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Return to the classroom and view the video tape. Discuss the
dynamics that are at play when the boomerang returns to its sender.
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Have a discussion of the students' experiences of throwing the
boomerang. Have the students relate their experience to the several
principles that apply when the boomerang is thrown.
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Ask the students to write a one page report on why a boomerang
returns when it is properly thrown. Ask them to include the following
principles: Bernoulli's relation, gyroscopic stability, gyroscopic
precession, and Newton's laws of motion.
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Have the students read their reports in front of the class.
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