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How to Teach Physics With a Cork in a Wine Glass

A basic magician's trick is to pull a tablecloth off of a table without disturbing a glass placed on top of it. You can perform this trick with a wine glass and cork to demonstrate the principle of inertia -- Newton's law of physics that states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest while an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Household items are all you will need to make this principle come to life.

Things You'll Need

Silk tablecloth
Table
Measuring cup
Wine cork
Plastic wine glass

Instructions

- 1
  Place a silk tablecloth on a table. Smooth the tablecloth down with your hands. Overlap one side of the table with an end of the tablecloth.
- 2
  Set a plastic wine glass on the tablecloth at the approximate center of the table. Pour 4 oz. of tap water into the glass. Place a cork in the water and wait for the bobbing to cease.
- 3
  Stand at the side of the table. Grip the end of the tablecloth that overlaps the table. Roll the end of the tablecloth between your hands toward you until it butts up to the edge of the table.
- 4
  Yank the tablecloth toward you with a motion that remains parallel to the table. Watch as the wine glass remains in place but the cork begins to bobble as a result of inertia.

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