PASCO ME-9825A Matter Model - Manual (Page 8)

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Model No. ME-9825A Matter Model
8
Activities
Mechanisms of Normal Forces
Students often have difficulty believing that solid objects, such as a
table, can exert forces. Instead, they believe that the table simply "gets
in the way" of the object. By using the matter model with a heavy
book, students can see the atoms compress when the book is placed on
it. A 4 x 3 x 2 arrangement should be used for this activity, so the
matter model is more stable when the book is placed on it.
Vibrations
The effects of vibrations can be seen quite vividly in the matter model.
Any rectangular or cubic arrangement can be used. Strike the matter
model with an impact force and observe the vibrational patterns.
Figure 6: Demonstration of Normal Forces