DemoKindergarten

Euler's Disk Wobble

The wobble gets faster just before it stops.

Teaching & key ideas

What you do: Spin disk/coin and let it settle. What students see: The wobble gets faster just before it stops. Why it works: Friction removes energy while the geometry of the wobble changes. Question to ask: Why does the wobble speed up while the disk is losing energy?

Lesson flow

Predict → demonstrate → observe → briefly explain → ask: Why does the wobble speed up while the disk is losing energy?