Activity 1: Newton's Third Law - Action-Reaction Investigation
Demonstrate and quantify action-reaction force pairs through balloon rockets and collision analysis
Force measurement & space technology
Learning Objectives
- • Demonstrate Newton's Third Law through multiple examples
- • Quantify action-reaction force pairs using measurements
- • Apply Newton's Third Law to design motion solutions
- • Connect force concepts to transportation and space technology
- • Analyze safety applications in vehicle design
Balloon Rocket System
- • Balloons (various sizes), balloon pumps
- • Fishing line or string (15 meters)
- • Drinking straws, tape, scissors
- • Measuring tape, stopwatch
- • Small masses for payload testing
- • Spring scales (Newton meters)
Investigation Phases
1
Balloon Rocket Analysis (35 minutes)
Test balloon size, inflation pressure, and payload effects
2
Direct Force Measurement (25 minutes)
Measure action-reaction pairs using spring scales and collisions
3
Real-World Applications (20 minutes)
Analyze transportation systems and safety applications
Transportation Analysis
- • Car: tires push road, road pushes car forward
- • Boat: propeller pushes water, water pushes boat
- • Airplane: engines push air, air pushes plane
- • Rocket: exhaust pushes down, rocket pushes up
Quantitative Analysis
Balloon Rocket Performance
- • Calculate average velocity and acceleration
- • Estimate thrust force from performance data
- • Analyze energy conversion efficiency
- • Compare theoretical vs. measured forces
Statistical Analysis
- • Calculate means and standard deviations
- • Identify sources of experimental error
- • Use error bars on graphs
- • Compare experimental with theoretical results
Assessment Components (100 points total)
Laboratory Report (50 pts)
- • Experimental design (10 pts)
- • Data collection and analysis (25 pts)
- • Newton's Third Law applications (10 pts)
- • Real-world connections (5 pts)
Engineering Design (30 pts)
- • Rocket optimization project (20 pts)
- • Performance demonstration (10 pts)
Problem-Solving (20 pts)
- • Space mission planning OR
- • Vehicle safety design OR
- • Sports biomechanics OR
- • Transportation innovation
Activity 2: Collision Dynamics and Momentum Conservation
Investigate elastic and inelastic collisions while applying conservation of momentum principles
90 minutes (can be split into two 45-minute sessions) Collision analysis & vehicle safety
Learning Objectives
- • Investigate elastic and inelastic collisions quantitatively
- • Apply conservation of momentum to predict outcomes
- • Analyze factors affecting collision dynamics
- • Connect collision physics to vehicle safety and sports
- • Use mathematical models to predict and verify results
Collision Investigation Equipment
- • Toy cars with adjustable masses
- • Modeling clay for mass adjustment
- • Digital balance for precise measurements
- • Track system with minimal friction
- • High-speed video recording capability
- • Motion analysis software or apps
Investigation Phases
1
Elastic Collision Investigation (35 minutes)
Equal mass, unequal mass, and both cars moving scenarios
2
Inelastic Collision Analysis (30 minutes)
Sticky collisions and partially inelastic scenarios
3
Advanced Analysis (25 minutes)
Mathematical modeling and real-world applications
Mathematical Modeling
- • Conservation of momentum: m₁v₁ + m₂v₂ = m₁v₁' + m₂v₂'
- • Energy analysis: KE before vs. after collision
- • Coefficient of restitution calculations
- • Theoretical vs. experimental comparisons
Real-World Applications
Vehicle Safety Engineering
- • Crash test analysis and comparison
- • Crumple zone design and effectiveness
- • Airbag deployment timing optimization
- • Passenger force reduction strategies
Sports Applications
- • Ball sport collision dynamics analysis
- • Equipment design for optimal performance
- • Protective equipment effectiveness
- • Impact force calculations in contact sports
Assessment Components (100 points total)
Quantitative Analysis (45 pts)
- • Data collection accuracy (15 pts)
- • Mathematical analysis (20 pts)
- • Experimental design (10 pts)
Video Analysis (25 pts)
- • Motion tracking accuracy (15 pts)
- • Comparative analysis (10 pts)
Problem-Solving (30 pts)
- • Vehicle crash investigation OR
- • Sports equipment design OR
- • Space mission planning OR
- • Asteroid impact analysis
Activity 3: Electromagnetic Force Investigation and Applications
Construct and test electromagnets while investigating factors affecting electromagnetic force
Electromagnet construction & optimization
Learning Objectives
- • Construct and test electromagnets with variable parameters
- • Quantify relationships between current, coil turns, and strength
- • Investigate factors affecting electromagnetic force
- • Design electromagnetic solutions to practical problems
- • Connect principles to modern technology applications
Electromagnet Construction
- • Iron nails (various sizes: 2", 3", 4")
- • Insulated copper wire (22-24 gauge)
- • D-cell and 9V batteries
- • Battery holders and connecting wires
- • Paper clips for testing (100 per team)
- • Digital multimeter for current measurement
Investigation Phases
1
Basic Construction and Testing (25 minutes)
Build standard electromagnet and establish baseline performance
2
Variable Parameter Investigation (30 minutes)
Test wire turns, battery configuration, and core materials
3
Advanced Analysis and Applications (15 minutes)
Magnetic field mapping and real-world application research
Safety Protocol
- • Battery safety: prevent short circuits
- • Monitor for overheating during operation
- • Proper wire handling to prevent cuts
- • Supervision with electrical equipment
Systematic Parameter Testing
Number of Wire Turns Investigation
- • Test: 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 wire turns
- • Record paper clips lifted for each configuration
- • Measure current draw with multimeter
- • Graph paper clips lifted vs. number of turns
Battery Configuration Testing
- • Single 1.5V battery baseline
- • Two 1.5V batteries in series (3V total)
- • Single 9V battery comparison
- • Analyze voltage, current, and magnetic strength
Real-World Applications
Industrial Applications
- • Scrapyard crane electromagnets
- • Magnetic levitation (maglev) trains
- • MRI machine electromagnet design
- • Electric motor and generator principles
Design Challenge Applications
- • Sorting recyclable metals from waste
- • Maximum mass lifting with minimum power
- • Uniform magnetic field for instruments
- • Electromagnetic door lock systems
Assessment Components (100 points total)
Laboratory Report (40 pts)
- • Experimental design and methodology (10 pts)
- • Data collection and analysis (20 pts)
- • Electromagnetic theory application (10 pts)
Engineering Design (35 pts)
- • Optimization project (20 pts)
- • Performance testing (10 pts)
- • Cost-benefit analysis (5 pts)
Technology Applications (25 pts)
- • Real-world connections research (15 pts)
- • Innovation proposal (10 pts)
Performance Optimization Analysis
Efficiency Calculations
Calculate "lifting power per amp" and determine optimal turns-to-current ratio
Mathematical Modeling
Apply Ampère's law and B = μnI formula to predict magnetic field strength
