Fifth Period
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see how it all started!
Join students Sophie, Tomás, Emma, and Marcus during Fifth Period! This STEM comic strip chronicles the exciting and often hilarious adventures of a close-knit group of four friends as they learn about science, technology, engineering, and math from their kooky, inspiring, off-the-wall science teacher, Mr. Kepler. When they're not in class, these kids love to explore the vast world of STEM on their own, launching weather balloons, programming computer games, and cataloging insects, sometimes with unpredictable and highly entertaining results!
Check back on the first and third Friday of every month for a new Fifth Period strip!
Marcus Puts the Spin on Force
How is Marcus able to turn a bucket of water over his head without getting soaked? Centrifugal force makes it possible! By swinging the bucket in a large circle, he is exerting a centrifugal force on the water inside of it. This results in the water being pushed outward toward the bucket’s bottom, away from the center of the circular motion, which is Marcus’ shoulder. This works as long as the centrifugal force on the water away from Marcus’ shoulder is greater than the gravity pulling the water down.
Unfortunately for Mr. Kepler, centrifugal force can be very strong. If the bucket’s handle isn’t sturdy enough to stand up to this force and happens to break, the centrifugal force immediately stops. When that happens, the bucket and water “go ballistic” (remember that?) and gravity takes over, with the bucket and water now on a “trajectory” toward Mr. Kepler’s head....
Try it yourself!
Next time you’re at a playground, take a spin on the merry-go-round. Notice how your body wants to move away from the center and it’s harder to hang on the faster you spin? That’s centrifugal force at work!