Investigations and Explorations
Measurement Lab
The purpose of this activity is to practice using the metric system and understand how to properly use measurement tools.
Constant Velocity Investigation
“How does the distance traveled and time elapsed relate when a car is moving at a constant speed?”
Free Fall Investigation
Students investigate the motion of freely falling objects and experimentally determine the acceleration of free fall.
Horizontal Launch Exploration
"How well can the kinematic equations of a projectile predict the range of a horizontally-launched projectile?"
Egg Drop Challenge
"How are we able to examine the application of Newton's Laws of Motion, Momentum, and Impulse through the engineering of a capsule to drop an egg from a height?"
Skateboarding & Transformation of Energy
"How are we able to observe various transfers of energy while examining a skateboarder moving through a half-pipe?"
Tennis Ball Launch Project
"How are we able to design and build a tennis ball launcher (utilizing an understanding of kinematics, impulse, center of mass, forces, and air resistance) that would carry an egg and return it safely upon landing?"
Water Bottle Rocket Project
"How are we able to design a water bottle rocket (utilizing an understanding of impulse, center of mass, forces, and air resistance) that would carry an egg and return it safely upon landing?"
Period of a Pendulum Investigation
Students investigate the factors that could impact the period of a pendulum and experimentally determine the acceleration of free fall.
Diffraction Lab
"How can the single slit diffraction pattern be utilized to measure the diameter of a human hair?"
Speed of Sound Lab
"How are we able to us the formation of standing waves within pipes to experimentally determine the speed of sound in air?"
Specific Heat of Unknown Metal
"How are we able to utilize calorimetric techniques in determining the identity of a metal according to its specific heat capacity?"
Circular Motion Exploration
"How does angular velocity, period, centripetal force and other concepts related to circular motion allow for graphical analysis?"
Heating effect of current carrying wire
"How are we able to understand the macroscopic appearance of thermal energy from the microscopic interactions within a current carrying wire?"
Factors of Resistance Exploration
"How does the length, cross-sectional area, and material of a wire affect the resistance to current flowing through a circuit?"
Internal Resistance Exploration
"How are we able to experimentally determine the internal resistance of a cell using multimeters, variable resistors, and relations between measurable quantities?"
Foam Decay Lab
"How can the foam head of Root Beer be used to model radioactive decay and experimentally determine its decay factor?"
Exploring the Stellar Life Cycle
"How are we able to predict the life cycle of a star utilizing the star's luminosity and mass?"
Ball in the Bucket Challenge
Investigating
Free-Fall
Behavior of Waves
Characteristics of Waves
Behavior of Waves
Egg Drop Challenge
Resources and Supplemental Material
Below, you will find various resources that will allow you to seek additional instruction, guidance, and ways to extend your learning to topics not covered in your course.
