put ur thinking caps on.......for 11 points?

Question

im in desperate need of ur help
we r suppossed to build a parabolic reflector @ school bt i dont know which materials 2 use....can someone help me

Answer 1

Water in a circular spinning container will naturally form a parabola. If you can locate a turntable, like a potter's wheel,
or even a phonograph player - something that will spin at a constant speed for a while, you can make one. Just distribute powdered plaster of Paris into the water to thicken it while it spins. When it hardens, you have a parabola. The size is depending on what items you can find to accomplish the spin. The phonograph will not be strong, but it may be adequate for a small parabloa. A cake pan will work.
The faster the spin the deeper the parabola so experiment a little before you select a set-up.
You may need to sand out any ripples.
The parabola can be sprayed with bright chrome pigmmented automotive paint and polished.

Answer 2

Get a large bowl that's wider than it is tall, and a roll of aluminum foil.

Shape some foil around the bottom of the bowl and you're done.

Edit: To all of the people below me who are suggesting unbelievably complex shapes, maybe it would help if you knew what a parabola was. It's not a box shape, it's not a rod shape. It's the shape of the tip of a bullet (hence why they're called parabolic rounds), or a satellite dish.

Answer 3

Try one of those metal saucers kids use to go downhill in the snow. The shape may need a little tweaking, but the basic shape is there...

Answer 4

i made one of these in the 5th grade..

what you will need

1. A shoe box
2. Foil
3. a clear plastic surface
4. cardboard
5. black paper

put cardboard in box to make it desired size to put something in. Then over that in foil. you can use back paper on the outside, but it is not a must. Then you are going to want your clear plastic on the top on it so nothing can get into to, again not a must. Any more questions, just get at me

Answer 5

You need to get 4 8ft. long johnson rods.

Put the johnson rods inside the herbert contraption after you buy it. then pull herbert hole A into herbert hole B.
Make sure herbert hole is properly lubricated.
Add salt.
Then you need to begin building your platform.
For this you will need:
Approximatly 6 boxes of number 9 granulated cooper screws
10 fennles of foam rubber
One gallon of johnsons "Super-Sticky Adhesive!"
And a glass of warm milk
Simply spread the foam rubber flat, spread the super-sticky adhesive evenly accross the fennles, then toss a handful of granulated number 9 cooper screws onto your sticky fennles.
Drink warm glass of milk, and show your parents what a wonderful job you did.
Check back with me tomorrow and i will explain the rest of the process.
Good work champ.

Answer 6

How about one of those big circular sleds, or for something a little smaller, one of those hemispheric squirrel baffles?