Yo-Yo Physics

Overview

Objectives/Goals Determine what effect (if any) the weight and string length of a yo-yo have on its "sleep time," which is the time it stays at the bottom of the string when the yo-yo is thrown Methods/Materials One yo-yo, yo-yo strings, two dimes and two pennies. The weight of the coins was determined using a scale accurate to one-thousandth of a gram. The strings were measured and cut to 96.5 centimeters. 1 string was left as it was, and the other three were cut to lengths decreasing in increments of 5.5 centimeters. Duct tape was used to affix the coins (weights) to each side of the yo-yo. In this experiment, three(3) different yo-yo weights and four(4) different string lenghts were used to give twelve(12) different test combinations. Each variation was thrown fifty times to ensure accuracy and minimize the impact of outliers. Results It was found that a string length of 96.5 centimeters and pennies taped to the side of the yo-yo produced the best result (the longest sleep time). The measurements indicated that on average when the string got shorter, the time the yo-yo stayed at the bottom of the string decreased. However, when weight was added the time it stayed at the bottom of the string increased Conclusions/Discussion The string lenght has a direct correlation with the #sleep time# because the yo-yo gets its energy by unwinding from the string. Therefore, if there is less string to unwind from, there is less energy for it to spin at the bottom of the string. When weight is added, the yo-yo has more mass as a whole, and therefore has more momentum when going down the string, giving it more energy to spin at the bottom of the string.

Competition history

• CSEF 2010 Applied Mechanics & Structures · Entry J0225

Resources

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