is it possible to go the whole 360 degrees on a swing?

Answer 1

No if the swing is suspended by ropes (or chains). Yes if suspended by stiff rods (like a circus swing or trapeze).

If you go to the circus you will see acrobats (or sometimes monkeys) do this all the time. And they stand up in the swing to get enough push.

But the sides of the swing are NOT ropes. They are long stiff rods.

Why? Because if it's a rope swing, then you not only need enough speed to get over the top, but you need additional speed to keep the ropes taut all the way over so you are always moving in the big circle.

This means you can't self-propel yourself higher and higher.
To see this, let's say you push yourself higher an extra 30 degrees with each push.
So first push you go up to 30 degrees, then stop and swing back.
Second push you go up to 60 degrees, then stop and swing back.
Third push you go up to 90 degrees (parallel with the ground), and then stop and swing back.
Fourth push you go up 120 degrees and then stop rising ... but then what way do you start falling? Back around the circle? Nope. Your momentum takes you inwards away from the circle, in freefall, until the swing catches you again.
If you survive that fall, and then manage to push yourself up again for the fifth push?
Now you're up to 150 degrees ... almost to the top, and then you stop rising, and fall again, inwards away from the circle.
If by some-miracle-that-defies-the-laws-of-physics you survive that and manage to push yourself up for the sixth push ...
Now you go up 180 degrees ... exactly upside down ... when you lose all momentum and stop. Do you continue in the big circle? In a stiff swing, yes ... but in a rope swing, heck no. You plummet straight down towards the bar of the swing.

So the only way to do it (without something giving you a *massive* shove at the bottom), is if the swing has stiff rods instead of ropes. Why? Because this restricts the swing to moving only in the big circle. It takes circus performers a *lot* of training to be able to do this (so please don't try this at home :-) ).

Answer 2

Yes. If you are pushed hard enough.

The person on the swing has to have enough kinetic energy at the bottom of the swing to convert to potential energy at the top (and a little bit more to keeping going round). If the length of the swing is say 2m (so, 4m to the top of the swinging height), then the speed of push has to be at least 9 m/s. Which is a pretty hard push.

That's more than you needed, isn't it?

Answer 3

The helicopter pictured is the MBB Bo 105CBS belonging to Red Bull USA. Here is a description from Wikipedia: The four-blade rigid main rotor, a worldwide first, with fiberglass blades ensures high maneuverability. A Bo 105CBS used for promotional purposes by Red Bull USA is fully aerobatic, performing loops, rolls, Immelmanns and other maneuvers normally regarded as for fixed-wing aircraft only.

Answer 4

You would definetely need a tremendous amount of rotational velocity. If you do not have enough, you will begin to free-fall. For example, when you were a kid and you swung too high you almost "fell out" of your seat. This is because the gravity force is pulling you straight down, while your swing seat is traveling in a circular path.

Answer 5

Not without rockets strapped to your a**. They tried this out on Mythbusters once. Gravity overcame momentum every time.

Well...they did manage it, but not without a lot of extra continuous thrust in the way of rocket propulsion.

Answer 6

I know lots of other interesting things you can do on a swing! Oh and on a hammock.

Answer 7

I saw it on Mythbusters one time, but I don't remember how it turned out. Maybe check discovery channel website when you have a few extra minutes. I tried to do it for you, but I wasn't getting anywhere.

Answer 8

yes they did it on brainiac with a crash test dummy and some rockets, it worked but i dont think a human would survive.

it CANT be done by pushing ! its just not fast enuf when you get to the top youd just fall strait down.

Answer 9

It sure is, you do not need to be pushed and its not even that hard.

I watched an urang utan do it in an animal show at Universal Studios.

Answer 10

I thought on Brainiacs that it didn't work properly. I may not have been paying attention by the end though . . . .