Rotating Platform

Item #P3-3510

$99.00 Bundle Discount

Unit Price	$99.00
6+	$92.00

Human-scale demonstrations of angular momentum conservation

Turn rotational motion into a full-body learning experience. Arbor Scientific’s exclusive Rotating Platform lets students become part of the system as they explore rotational inertia, angular momentum, and Newton’s Third Law. With a 37 cm diameter and smooth, low-friction rotation, this unpowered platform creates memorable demonstrations where students can feel physics in action rather than just observe it.

Whether students rotate with hand weights or interact with a spinning gyroscope, the Rotating Platform makes abstract rotational concepts concrete. It’s a powerful anchor for units on dynamics and rotation—especially when paired with Arbor Scientific’s exclusive Gyroscope Wheel.

Why Teachers Love the Rotating Platform

Human-scale rotational physics: Students experience inertia and angular momentum directly, increasing engagement and retention.
Versatile classroom tool: Works equally well with hand weights or a gyroscope for multiple rotational investigations.
Clear demonstrations of core laws: Makes conservation of angular momentum and Newton’s Third Law visible and intuitive.

What You Can Teach with the Rotating Platform

Use from middle school through high school and introductory college physics to teach:

Rotational inertia: Observe how changing mass distribution (using hand weights) affects resistance to rotation.
Conservation of angular momentum: See how rotation speed changes when mass moves inward or outward.
Newton’s Third Law (action–reaction): Demonstrate that for every applied force, there is an equal and opposite force acting on the system.
Positive vs. negative angular momentum: Explore how direction matters in rotational systems.
Torque and rotational motion (extensions): Discuss why greater mass or radius requires more force to rotate.

How It Works with the Arbor Scientific Gyroscope Wheel

A student stands on the Rotating Platform while holding a spinning Gyroscope Wheel.
The wheel produces positive or negative angular momentum depending on its orientation.
When the student flips or reorients the spinning wheel, the student–platform system responds by rotating—dramatically demonstrating conservation of angular momentum.
This setup clearly shows that internal changes in a system can change rotational motion without external torque.

The Rotating Platform transforms rotational physics into a lived experience—especially when paired with Arbor Scientific’s Gyroscope Wheel—helping students connect equations to motion they can feel and explain.

Safety & Use Notes

The Rotating Platform is unpowered and intended for educational use only.
Use caution when students stand on the platform; stand next to younger students for support.
Weight must be evenly distributed for smooth operation. Students should stand on both feet, positioned on either side of the center.
As total weight on the platform increases, more force is required to rotate.