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Today's question of the day

What happens when a spinning skater pulls her arms in?

Show of hands — before you project anything

If the spin-amount stays the same, why does the spin get faster?

  • A Way more than you'd guess
  • B About what you'd guess
  • C Way less than you'd guess

Count the votes out loud. Hold them to it — then watch.

Project it (fullscreen)

Discussion prompts

  • If the spin-amount stays the same, why does the spin get faster?
  • What would happen to a figure skater spinning on a planet with no ice friction at all?
  • Can you think of a spinning object that slows itself down by spreading out?

Where it shows up in real life

  • Figure skaters pulling into a tight spin during a routine
  • Divers tucking into a ball to flip faster before entering the water
  • Gymnasts pulling arms and legs in during aerial twists
  • Pulsars — collapsed stars spinning incredibly fast because they shrank from a giant star into a tiny dense ball

A prediction-first worksheet — no answer key.

zero prep · no login · any projector

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