Section outline

    • Fast Lane Folder
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Many countries around the world are looking to meet their transportation demands for the future with sustainable and environmentally friendly systems. Magnetic levitation (Maglev) trains are a transportation technology that makes use of electromagnetic suspension (EMS). It relies on high powered electromagnets that produce magnetic fields that force the train above its track and propel it forward without friction. In this activity, studentswill investigate how electricity and magnetism are closely related by building and testing their own electromagnets.

    • Pendulum Activity Folder
      Students must
      Mark as done

      This activity can be done in an Advanced Algebra 1 class, Algebra 2 class, Trig Class, or Physics class. The final goal is to determine the acceleration due to gravity (g) which on earth should be near 9.8 m/s2. Topics reviewed: linear functions, power functions, regression, r2 values, solving a literal equation, graphing points, modeling with functions, direct variation, and period of a simple pendulum.

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Kinetic and Potential Energy (Physics)

      This lesson is aimed at facilitating students to define and calculate kinetic energy and potential energy through examining car crashes, and also solve problems using the law of conservation of energy.

      Activities in this Lesson:

      1. Understanding Car Crashes
      2. Defining Kinetic and Potential Energy
      3. Calculating Kinetic and Potential Energy
      4. Checking for Understanding
      5. Law of Conservation of Energy
      6. Solving problems involving Conservation of Energy
      7. Checking for Understanding

      Link to Lessons

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Modeling the Physics of the Mousetrap Car

      Using a physics model we will make predictions of how the car will accelerate with different parameters.

      Activities in this Lesson:

      1. Homer proves his innocence
      2. Measuring the torque of the mousetrap car
      3. Practicing with the mathematical model
      4. Practicing with the equations
      5. Check for understanding closure

      Link to Lesson

    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Testing the Physics model of the Mousetrap Car

      In this lesson students apply the physics model by predicting the acceleration of the moustrap car and validate the model by directly measuring the acceleration and different spring angles. 

      Activities in this Lesson:

      1. Testing the Drivetrain
      2. Predict the acceleration of the mousetrap car
      3. Measuring the deceleration of the mousetrap car
      4. Measuring the acceleration of the mousetrap car

      Link to Lesson

    • Energy Skate Park Folder
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Part A: Students will draw and explain a molecular model showing what happens to the skater's molecules at the microscopic level as thermal energy increases, then relate this to what is happening at the macroscopic level of the skater on the ramp.

      Part B: Students will describe energy changes in a system over time using both words and graphical representations and explain how each model (bar graph and pie chart) shows the total amount of energy available in the system, and draw each model for a situation with a different amount of initial energy.

      Part C: Students will build, explain, and justify (with the sim) equations for total energy, and conservation of energy; draw scaled graphical models of energy for an object at a specific position using your energy equations; and write equations for the total energy of an object at a specific position using scaled graphical models.

      Link to Activity