Toys as teaching tools in engineering: the cases of Newton's cradle and the

The behaviors of two widely known toys, Newton’s cradle and gyroscope, have served as a model, either for the development of a variety of applications in various areas of science and engineering, or as pedagogical tool for the explanation of the physical principles that govern these accessories. The presentation of these two cases highlights once again the existence of educational alternatives, sometimes clearer and having greater motivation for students than the traditional ones, in the description of certain physical phenomena.

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