Young Scientist Lab: Fidget Spinner
Your teacher might not love when you have one in class, but the physics behind fidget spinners are truly head-spinning!
Join 3M scientist Tesha R.-Alston Dampier as she shows you how a spinning motion changes the way things move.
Fidget spinners work due to their unique design: three weights spin in unison around a central bearing. The rapid movement of the weights combined with gravitational forces create the sensation of weight when manipulating the spinning toy. Today we are going to examine some of the fascinating science behind fidget spinners. Sure, they spin, but why do they spin so smoothly, and for so long? Why is it difficult to flip one over mid-spin? Let’s try to answer these questions with an experiment.
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Your teacher might not love when you have one in class, but the physics behind fidget spinners are truly head-spinning!
Join 3M scientist Tesha R.-Alston Dampier as she shows you how a spinning motion changes the way things move.
Fidget spinners work due to their unique design: three weights spin in unison around a central bearing. The rapid movement of the weights combined with gravitational forces create the sensation of weight when manipulating the spinning toy. Today we are going to examine some of the fascinating science behind fidget spinners. Sure, they spin, but why do they spin so smoothly, and for so long? Why is it difficult to flip one over mid-spin? Let’s try to answer these questions with an experiment.
What are you looking for?
Organization
Website URL
Type of Resource
Video (Instructional)