Energy and the Flywheel

A short descriptive video to explain to young students why machines have a very heavy wheel spinning and seeming to do nothing at all.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Meccano
• Model
• building

[mar504]

New racecars are going to use this concept to store energy from breaking (by spinning up a flywheel instead of using break pads) when they slow down for corners, then they transfer the energy from the flywheel into acceleration as they come out of the corners giving them an extra 160hp without burning any more fuel. Pretty awesome idea!

[denisxx61]

Many thanks for that information - really interesting to know. It will add an extra snippet when I talk to the students about the flywheel and its function.

[denisxx61]

If I remember correctly the Bulleid/Raworth electric locomotives of the Southern Railway used the flywheel principle in order to keep the locomotives in motion when traveling slowly in the yards. The gaps in the third rail would leave the locomotive dead thus the flywheel to impart motion during these "dead" areas.

[prennyabs]

good stuff... explains alot ;) very helpful thanx :D

[boogleweener]

That's cool.