Earthquake Simulator

Description:

This demonstration consists of a model city in which the buildings are mounted to an oscillating floor by springs. Note that all the springs are the same.

Cautions, Warnings, or Safety Concerns:

  1. The handle may break if cranked too hard.

Demonstration:

By cranking the drive wheel, the ground beneath the buildings oscillates back and forth. This oscillational energy is then translated to the buildings causing them to resonate at different speeds. This variation in speed is due to the size of the building which demonstrates how buildings react to an earthquake.

 

Physics Lecture Demonstration Database