Simulates a laser beam mounted on the end of a bendable beam (used to measure minute changes in shape.)
To try this
simulation:
Left-drag to rotate the image. Right-drag to bend the beam. Center-drag (or simultaneously left- and right-drag) to zoom.
What's Going On?
There is a laser on the top of the beam. The laser is pointed at the scale on the wall. As you put your weight on the handle, you bend the beam. The laser, being mounted on the end of the beam, moves down with the beam. The movement of the dot shows how much the beam has bent.
If the characteristics of the metal in the beam are known, you can figure, quite accurately, how much the beam will deflect for a given weight.
There's More!
The laser beam provides a way to measure small movements of the beam. Similarly, laser beams are used to guide long pieces of wood and metal through cutters in factories. The beam provides a straight line reference for the cutter.
The optical lever as demonstrated with the laser on the beam is one way scientists have been able to make very small quantities visible.
