Spinning and turning
Physics · Early Years · The School
A third kind of movement
A ball rolls in a straight line. A car drives in a straight line. But a wheel does something else. It SPINS. It turns round and round, on the spot, or as it rolls. Spinning is its own kind of movement. It is not the same as rolling straight ahead.
Things that spin
A bicycle wheel spins fast when you flick it with your hand. A kitchen whisk spins round and round when you turn its handle. A coin, stood up on its edge and flicked, spins in a fast, wobbly circle before it falls flat. Look for spinning things all around you today.
Fast spin, slow spin
Flick a coin gently, and it spins slowly. It wobbles, then falls flat quite soon. Flick it hard instead, and it spins fast. It stays standing up much longer before it wobbles and falls. A bigger flick gives a longer, faster spin.
Stand a coin up on its edge on a table. Flick it gently with one finger. It spins slowly. Count how long it spins before falling flat: perhaps two seconds. Stand it up again. This time, flick it hard. It spins fast, almost a blur. Count again: perhaps six seconds this time. Same coin. Same table. Only the flick changed — and a harder flick gave a longer, faster spin.