Make N’ Take: Build a Laser Guided Shoot the Monkey Apparatus
Delight your students with one of the most dramatic and intuition building demonstrations for projectile motion, the famous “Shoot The Monkey Demonstration". At this Make N’ Take the teachers will build an apparatus to bring back to their classroom. We only have enough materials for the first 22 teachers who sign up. At the event you will fabricate your apparatus. See below for the materials that we will provide and for the materials that you must have in your classroom to run this demonstration. Note: You will not have to bring any materials to the event.
In order to make this available early enough in the school year so that you can use it when you get to your section on 2D Kinematics, we are holding the event on Saturday, September 14.
The activities will include:
a) Modifying the monkey
b) Stripping wires and soldering
c) Modifying the Nerf gun to attach the laser and to create the built in switch that opens the circuit when the dart is fired
d) Some final assembly
e) Testing the apparatus (Using our current source and our fixture)
Each teacher will assemble and take back to their classroom an experimental apparatus including:
1) a modified Nerf gun that includes a 3D printed holder to attach the laser sight
2) a laser
3) batteries for the laser
4) 20 feet of two conductor wire to hook up the electromagnet
5) the electromagnet (plus one spare)
6) a plastic container for the finished apparatus
7) and, of course, the cute monkey.
The cost of all of these parts will be funded by a grant from Bauder.
To use the apparatus, teachers will have to have the equipment below in their classroom. (We will have one setup that we will use to test the apparatus that we make.)
a) A fixture to firmly hold the Nerf gun apparatus. The fixture also allows for aiming and holds the gun firmly during release. (For example, see a "boss-head" clamp.)
b) A fixture to hold the hook for the electromagnet that holds the monkey. Typically this is attached to the ceiling, but it can also be attached to a tall rod with an arm attached on another table.
c) A controllable current source for currents ranging between 1-1.5A.
d) 2 or 3 short leads with alligator clips.
Details about signing up for the event:
- With a few exceptions, our policy is that our events are only open to NJAAPT members. If you are not a member you can go to our website to join.
- We will no longer accept checks or cash for our events. Only credit cards or PayPal will be accepted. When you sign up for the event it will show you a PayPal screen. However, there is an option to pay by credit card. Even if you have a PayPal account of your own, but you do not want to use it, you can choose to pay by regular credit card.
- Note: Unfortunately, the system allows you to bypass this and sign up without paying. But, if you do signup without paying you will receive an email with an invoice showing payment due. If payment is not received within 15 minutes your registration will be deleted. If that happens, you will still have the option of signing up again.
Parking will be available in the lot behind Montclair High School. Detailed directions and contact information will be distributed by email to the attendees the week before the event.