Suggestion for the educators
Suggestion for the educators
(OP)
I just wondered, while watching the Mythbusters, whether anyone uses their antics as the basis for a class? I think it would be a terrific way to learn statics and dynamics, at the very least.
The reason I ask is the woeful state of analytical ability, particularly with respect to statics, that I see these days (puttng my curmudgeon shirt on).
These guys are the best engineering show around. I have almost as much fun as they do, in my job, and I don't get no sexy interns. Dang.
The reason I ask is the woeful state of analytical ability, particularly with respect to statics, that I see these days (puttng my curmudgeon shirt on).
These guys are the best engineering show around. I have almost as much fun as they do, in my job, and I don't get no sexy interns. Dang.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.





RE: Suggestion for the educators
What is the Mythbusters and what channel is it on? Is it a UK or US program?
RE: Suggestion for the educators
ht
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Suggestion for the educators
http://ep.llnl.gov/msds/Chem120/lox-oxidation.html
RE: Suggestion for the educators
... (and WANT to try it myself).
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Maui
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Another more recent favourite was the long-running "Local Heroes" where the presenter bicycled around the UK (and sometimes other countries) visiting the places where famous and not-so famous engineers and scientists lived or worked. There was always a practical working model of what he was explaining (usually made with plywood and string and powered by or attached to his bike in some way). He even managed to explain vector calculus and Green's theorem using a nightclub dance floor. With the more famous people he often concentrated on a part of their work which was little known (eg John Dalton's theory of partial pressures rather than his atomic theory) and he was very keen to attribute the right inventions to the right people (eg carefully explaining the different roles of Trevithick, Newcommen and Watt in the development of the steam engine).
Unfortunately, school budgets and paperwork mean that most teachers have to resort to showing tapes of these programmes rather than demonstrating them for real even if they can be made of plywood and string.
M
--
Dr Michael F Platten
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Another good one was "Industrial Revelations", also shot in the UK. There were only about 6 shows in the series, but they were excellent. They covered the era of the first lathe and steam engines through to about 1900. Even my wife - who finds things mechanical to be extremely tedious - enjoyed it. It's well written, and the star/narrator puts just enough humor into it to keep it interesting.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Nice moustache. Heehee.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
RE: Suggestion for the educators
etc etc
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
I must confess, I do find the Mythbusters very entertaining, but there are times when I'm not really convinced that their approaches really bust some of the "myths" that they claim.
I too, used to enjoy junkyard wars, but it seemed to get too contrived later on. It seemed like they really seeded those junkyards to make it a little too easy on the teams.
Edward L. Klein
Pipe Stress Engineer
Houston, Texas
"All the world is a Spring"
All opinions expressed here are my own and not my company's.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Mythbusters is very entertaining, but the "science" or "engineering" testing they use some times is catered to the dramatic rather than the empirical.
Still, pressurizing the cabin of a jetliner and shooting holes into it or exploding cans of bisquits in a hot car is much more refreshing than anything I have on my resume!
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Look in the gallery for a couple of simulations of the ballista.
Did they have a piece of rope to limit the travel of the boom?
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Suggestion for the educators
RE: Suggestion for the educators
Incidentally, there's at least two other tricks to getting more range, one of which the Mythbusters used, and the other of which I'm not too sure whether they used or not.
They pulled the boom down to ground level, rather than starting from horizontal.
Also they could have angled the boom relative to the body. This changes the moment arm of the body's weight relative to the angular position of the boom.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.