Forces and Interactions Activities
Investigate Newton's laws, collision dynamics, and electromagnetic forces through quantitative experiments and real-world applications.
Activity 1: Newton's Third Law - Action-Reaction Investigation
Demonstrate and quantify action-reaction force pairs through balloon rockets and collision analysis
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
Balloon Rocket Analysis (35 minutes)
Test balloon size, inflation pressure, and payload effects
Direct Force Measurement (25 minutes)
Measure action-reaction pairs using spring scales and collisions
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
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
Elastic Collision Investigation (35 minutes)
Equal mass, unequal mass, and both cars moving scenarios
Inelastic Collision Analysis (30 minutes)
Sticky collisions and partially inelastic scenarios
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
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
Basic Construction and Testing (25 minutes)
Build standard electromagnet and establish baseline performance
Variable Parameter Investigation (30 minutes)
Test wire turns, battery configuration, and core materials
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