Physics
Topic outline
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General
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This page is organized in different sections. In each section you will find links and PDF activities that are related to lessons in that area. The header will appear at the top of each page, so click on the section that you are interested in below and scroll past this header to see the resources. Note: we are continuously adding resources as we come across them so if you don't see something that you need please check back or contact your program specialists.
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A Concept Builder is an interactive learning activity that targets student understanding of a discrete concept. Each Concept Builder presents learners with carefully crafted questions that target various aspects of the concept. There are typically multiple levels of difficulty or multiple activities. And there is an effort to track learner progress at each level or in each activity.
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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.
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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.
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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:
- Understanding Car Crashes
- Defining Kinetic and Potential Energy
- Calculating Kinetic and Potential Energy
- Checking for Understanding
- Law of Conservation of Energy
- Solving problems involving Conservation of Energy
- Checking for Understanding
- Understanding Car Crashes
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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:
- Homer proves his innocence
- Measuring the torque of the mousetrap car
- Practicing with the mathematical model
- Practicing with the equations
- Check for understanding closure
- Homer proves his innocence
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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:
- Testing the Drivetrain
- Predict the acceleration of the mousetrap car
- Measuring the deceleration of the mousetrap car
- Measuring the acceleration of the mousetrap car
- Testing the Drivetrain
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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.
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