Modeling Vehicle Rollover

摘要

Inspired by the recent paper in The Physics Teacher on the dynamics of vehicle rollovers, we modeled "rollover" in a laboratory experiment. The combination of fundamental physical principles, application to a "real world" problem, and ease of doing the experiment with readily available material and equipment makes the experiment an attractive one for use in a high school or introductory college physics course. A suggested method, sample results, and suggestions for further experimentation follow.