final physics project ms. barnes project proposal · final physics project ms. barnes in lieu of a...

Final Physics Project Ms. Barnes

In lieu of a traditional final exam, you will complete a final physics project. You can work in groups of 3

or less and research a listed topic. After, you will develop and propose an experiment to conduct an

investigation into the topic. This can be any experiment you wish to perform. Finally, you will compile

all information from the literatures search, project proposal, and experiment, into a lab report, which

you will turn in for a grade.

Each project consists of a variety of components to be compiled into one final lab report that must be

completed for a full grade. These components are as follows:

Literature Search

Project Proposal

Experimentation

The entire project is worth 110 points with the division of the grade noted below:

Literature Search Rubric (20 points)

Project Proposal Rubric (40 points)

Data and Graphs Rubric (10 points)

Discussion of Results Rubric (40 points)

Choose from one of the following topics to complete for your Final exam grade:

Sail boating Project

Auto Collisions and Auto Safety

Sports

Planetary Motion

Amusement Park Rides

The Rubrics for the project components can be found by clicking on the links below, or scrolling to the

end of the document:

Literature Search Rubric

Project Proposal Rubric

Data and Graphs Rubric

Discussion of Results Rubric

http://gbhsweb.glenbrook225.org/gbs/science/phys/projects/yep/endoyrub/litscrub.html

http://gbhsweb.glenbrook225.org/gbs/science/phys/projects/yep/endoyrub/proprub.html

http://gbhsweb.glenbrook225.org/gbs/science/phys/projects/yep/endoyrub/datarub.html

http://gbhsweb.glenbrook225.org/gbs/science/phys/projects/yep/endoyrub/resdirub.html


Sail boating Project Your project involves conducting laboratory and library research on the physics of buoyancy and sail boating. You

will determine variables that affect buoyant forces along with factors involved in controlling the speed and

direction of sailboats.

By the end of this project, you should be able to:

apply the scientific method to a problem and draw logical conclusions from systematically collected and

analyzed data.

use Archimedes' Principle to explain with words, equations, and diagrams why a boat floats and be able to

accurately explain the boat bottom shape that offers the most buoyant force along with the most

stability.

using appropriate terminology describe and explain the operation and purpose of major components and

equipment on a typical sailboat.

explain with both words and experimentally derived equations the motion of sailboats in terms of their

position, velocity, acceleration, forces (buoyant, weight, wind, drag, rudder, etc.), momentum and energy.

use easily attainable items to construct a sailboat model that allows you to study several dependent

variables while varying several independent variables.

Some KEYWORDS to use in a literature search:

Buoyancy Nautical "Archimedes' Principle" AND Physics

Yachting Sailing AND Physics Drag

"Wind Power" Knots Water Drag

Port AND Stern AND Bow Sailboating Components

Wind Resistance

Suggested Research Questions

1. State Archimedes' Principle and use it to explain in detail why sailboats (or any object) can float on water.

2. Describe what a buoyant force is and discuss the factors which effect the amount of buoyant force acting

upon a floating object.

3. Explain why and how the boat bottom shape effects the ability of a boat to float and use diagrams and

equations to explain what shape offers both the most buoyant force and the most stability to a floating

sailboat.

4. Identify the forces acting upon a sailboat and describe their origin; depict these forces by a free-body

diagram; explain the origin of each force thoroughly.

5. Discuss how Newton's third law helps to explain how sailboats are propelled through the water and how

they are steered through the water.

6. Discuss vectors and vector resolution and apply basic vector principles to the propulsion of a boat through

the water; use some calculations to demonstrate why certain sail angles with respect to the wind allow a

boat to maximize its speed through the water.

7. Explain what water drag is and discuss it in great detail.

8. Define terminal velocity in general terms (not just for the specific case of a falling object) and apply it to

the motion of a boat through the water.

9. Use Newton's second law, a free-body diagram, and sample values of individual forces to calculate the

acceleration of a typical sailboat over time. That is, use physics equations and numerical information to

show how a sailboat starting from rest relative to the wind will have varying accelerations until it reaches

a terminal velocity.

10. Use physics to explain how a sailboat can move upwind.

11. Discuss the application of torques and balanced torque to the stability of a sailboat.


12. Identify and discuss the purpose of the major components of a sailboat.

13. Identify and describe the different types of sailboats.

14. Describe and explain several forms of modern technology used on today's more expensive sailboats.

Auto Collisions and Auto Safety Project

Your project involves the analysis of automobile safety and automobile collisions. The efforts of accident reconstructionists, safety administrators, and automobile designers to reduce collision frequency and insure vehicle safety will be examined.


describe the physics of automobile collisions and auto safety features in terms of physics concepts such as momentum, energy, force, impulse, vectors, velocity, acceleration, displacement, torque, rotation and principles such as Newton's laws, conservation laws, momentum-impulse equation, and the work-energy theorum.

analyze a video segment of a collision and utilize your understanding of physics to describe the physical features which were present or absent and the impact of these features upon the safety of the passengers and upon the damage to the vehicles.

describe the process by which accident reconstructionists determine the causes of accidents; describe the issues which safety administrators must confront in order to insure highway safety; and describe the physics of various safety features which automobile designers have implemented in order to increase automobile safety.


Hydraulic bumper systems Pneumatic bumper systems

Seat Belts (shoulder and lap belts) Air bags

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) Traction Control

Tires and Traction Active suspension

Crumple zones Crash Testing

Automobiles - safety devices Automobiles - safety features

Automobiles - air bags Accident reconstructionists

Automobiles - crash testing Automobile driving

Rotational motion Rotational energy

Energy conservation Work-energy theorum

Momentum-impulse equation Conservation of momentum

Work of deformation Energy absorption

Energy transformation Brakes


1. Discuss Newton's three laws and make efforts to apply each individual law to phenomena experienced in an automobile accident.

2. Combine Newton's second law of motion and kinematic equations to make predictions about the factors which effect the amount of stopping distance needed by a car in order to avoid accidents.


3. Use free-body diagram analyses to describe the forces acting upon cars prior to a collision and during collisions.

4. Define and distinguish between elastic and inelastic collisions and relate such terms to automobile collisions.

5. Define impulse and momentum and use the impulse-momentum change theorem to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze automobile collisions.

6. Explain the law of momentum conservation and use it to perform mathematical analyses of collisions. 7. Describe how the vector nature of momentum can be used to mathematically analyze right-angle

ninelastic collisions. 8. Describe the motion characteristics of projectiles and use kinematic equations and projectile principles to

calculate the range of an airborne vehicle, passenger, or other object which results from an automobile collision.

9. Use the work equation and the work energy-theorem to explain the role of crumple zones and chassis deformation in a collision and explain how measurements of the amount of chassis deformation can be used to make estimates of pre-collision speeds of vehicles.

10. Define torque and rotation and explain how rotational principles can be used to analyze automobile accidents.

11. Explain what an accident reconstructionist is and describe the types of problems which they attempt to solve.

12. Describe the methods used, the questions asked, and the information sought by accident reconstructionists in order to reconstruct an accident.

13. Give concrete examples of how an accident reconstructionist uses accident scene measurements and information to determine pre-collision motion characteristics of colliding automobiles.

14. Identify a few safety devices used in automobiles and use diagrams and words to explain the underlying science.

Sports Project

Your project involves the analysis and comparison of the physics of a few selected human movements. Technical information on the sports will be collected by means of background readings and actual measurements will be made using video analysis or some comparably useful experimental method.


discuss with both words and diagrams the physics which underlies a few selected sports or a few selected human movements using concepts such as velocity, force, acceleration, impulse, momentum, energy, circular motion, coefficients of restitution, torque, rotation, etc.

discuss the methods used by biomechanists and kinesiologists to gather data in order to analyze human movements is sports.

compare and contrast selected movements which are common to all sports (collisions, accelerations, projectiles, rotation and spin, etc.) and explain the differences of these movements among sports in terms of the equipment, the goals of the sports, etc.

utilize a video camera and videotape or a laser disc and the principles of video analysis in order to experimentally analyze selected movements in sports including collisions (people/people; bat/ball; racket/ball; people/ground; ball/ground; etc.), accelerations (shooting; jumping; throwing; hitting; starting from rest; etc.), projectiles or nearly-projectiles (balls; gymnasts; ski jumpers; high divers; cliff divers; etc.), rotation and spin, etc.


Biomechanics Strobe light photography


Coefficient of restitution Human Performance Laboratory

Physics - sports Sports - physics

Human Locomotion The name of any selected sport

Kinesiology


1. Use kinematic equations and (if appropriate) projectile principles and reasonable estimations of real-world motion parameters (initial velocity, time, displacement, acceleration, etc.) to describe a final outcome (displacement, time, final velocity, acceleration, etc.) of a motion in sports.

2. Identify Newton's laws and discuss a variety of their applications to sports. 3. Using free-body diagrams, Newton's second law, and vector applications, explain the motion of objects (in

sports) in terms of individual forces, net force, and acceleration. 4. Describe the motion characteristics of a projectile and identify such projectiles in sports. 5. Discuss the influence of air resistance on the path of an air-borne object and relate such influences to

aerodynamic principles. 6. Analyze movement in sports using work-energy principles; represent motion in terms of work-energy bar

charts and utilize the work-energy theorem to perform mathematical analyses of movements in sports. 7. Discuss the impulse-momentum change theorem and use the theorem to perform both qualitative and

quantitative analyses of collisions in sports. 8. Discuss the law of momentum conservation and use a momentum analysis to study collisions in sports. 9. Discuss circular and rotational motion principles and apply these principles to analyze a movement in

sports. 10. Compare and contrast selected movements which are common to all sports (collisions, accelerations,

projectiles, rotation and spin, etc.) and explain the differences of these movements among sports in terms of the equipment, the goals of the sports, etc.

11. Describe the method of video analysis and explain how sports scientists can use such methods analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of certain movements in sports.

12. Describe the method of computer modeling and explain how sports scientists can use such methods to analyze certain movements in sports and make improvements in the form and style.

13. Identify an example by which scientific knowledge and scientific research has led to improvements in a given sport.

Planetary Motion Project

Your project involves conducting library research and simulation studies in order to determine the variables which affect the motion of planets about the sun and the motion of other celestial bodies. Laws of planetary motion will be described with words, diagrams, equations, and animations.


use Newton's law of universal gravitation and Kepler's laws to explain with words, equations, diagrams and animation the principles and laws which govern the motion of planets about the sun and the motion of other celestial bodies.

collect and discuss a well-organized array of relevant computer images, laser-disc segments, computer-generated graphs, Quick-Time movies, and computer simulations.

describe and explain the motion of celestial bodies such as comets and asteroids and explain the behavior of a variety of cosmic phenomena such as black holes, supernovas, etc.



Copernicus Brahe

Kepler Newton

Einstein Gravitation

Universal gravitation Universal gravitation constant

Celestial motion Planetary motion

Satellites Natural satellites

Black holes Supernovas

Heliocentricism Curvature of space


1. Identify the nine planets which orbit the sun and accumulate data relevant to each planet's orbit (e.g., planet mass, orbital radius, orbital speed, orbital period, etc.).

2. Sketch the history of the efforts of scientists to understand the heavens and identify strategic individuals who made key contributions to our current understanding.

3. State Kepler's three laws of planetary motion and explain how each law applies to the motion of planets about the Sun.

4. Demonstrate the relationship between orbital period (T) and orbital radius (R) by using specific values for T and R for various planets in order to show the existing patterns.

5. Compare and contrast the motion of planets to about the sun to uniform circular motion. 6. State Newton's law of universal gravitation with both words and equations and show how the law can be

used to determine the force of gravitational attraction between the sun and a given planet. 7. Describe how Newton was able to convince the scientific world of the validity of the law of universal

gravitation. 8. Describe the motion characteristics of a planet in orbit about the sun using both words and vector

diagrams, giving particular attention to the relative magnitude and the direction of the velocity, acceleration, and net force vector.

9. Find (or develop) an equation which describes the variables which effect the velocity of an orbitting planet.

10. Describe the efforts of space scientists to navigate satellites and to conduct space missions in such a manner as to investigate the nature of our solar system.

11. Discuss the origin of such celestial bodies as asteroids and comets and describe the variables which would effect their entry into and motion through and within our solar system.

12. Discuss Einstein's conception of gravitation and the curvature of space and contrast them with traditional Newtonian ideas about gravitation.

13. Discuss the scope and magnitude of our cosmos and investigate some current findings of astronomers regarding such cosmic phenomenon as white dwarfs, black holes, supernovas, etc.

14. Discuss the methods, procedures, and instruments used by scientists to explore our cosmos.

Amusement Park Rides Project

Your project involves the analysis of the physics of a variety of amusement park rides. You will identify and explore

a number of variables which would affect the motion of passengers on such rides.


describe the motion of a roller coaster car and its occupants in terms of concepts such as speed, acceleration

(both linear and centripetal), net forces, normal forces, friction forces, momentum, and energy (KE, PE,

TME); this description should be both mathematical and conceptual.


utilize computer programs (e.g., Interactive Physics, the RollerCoaster HyperCard stack, and the Apple II

Amusement Park Physics program) in order to analyze the idealized motion of a variety of amusement park

rides.

utilize available materials (e.g., wires and washers, hot wheels equipment, metal track and accompanying

ball, phonographic turntable, etc.) to construct a model of an amusement park ride (coaster ride, pendulum

ride, flume ride, spin ride, tilting ride, etc.) and use it to make measurements and to experiment with a

number of variables which effect the motion of passengers on amusement park rides.


Amusement parks Amusement park rides

Rides Walt Disney

Great America Six flags

Roller coasters Ferris wheels

Coaster Flume rides

Klothoid loop Clothoid loop

Harry Traver Arrow Dynamics, Inc.

Ray Ueberroth American Coaster Enthusiasts

LaMarcus Thompson Coney Island

Ray Toomer Curtis Summers

Motion sickness g's of acceleration


1. Describe Newton's laws of motion and explain how each individual law can be used to explain the motion

of an object on roller coaster rides.

2. Perform free-body diagram analyses for roller coaster car occupants at strategic locations along track (e.g.,

on inclines, on straight level sections, at the bottom of loops and the top of loops, on banked curves, during

braking sections, at the top and bottom of small dips, etc.); combine the FBDs with Newton's second law to

predict the normal forces experienced by riders and relate such predictions to the actual experiences of

riders.

3. Use kinematic equations and estimations of distance and acceleration to predict the final speeds of roller

coaster cars during a linear section of track (e.g., on constant-angle inclines and in the final braking section

of the track.

4. Define work and energy and use the work-energy theorem to trace the presence of different types of energy

for a roller coaster car during a typical roller coaster ride; use work and energy to perform sample

calculations for a roller coaster ride.

5. Relate kinetic and potential energy to speed and height and use specific equations to calculate the actual

speed and given heights during a sample roller coaster ride (a sketch of the ride with pertinent information

should be included).

6. Describe work-energy bar charts and use such charts to describe energy transformations during roller

coaster rides.

7. Describe the motion characteristics of objects moving in circles (or near circles) and relate such

characteristics to the motion of coaster riders through vertical loops and horizontal curves; use

mathematical equations to make predictions about the relations between speed, radius, acceleration, net

force and individual force values.

8. Conduct a free-body diagram analyses for objects on inclined sections of track (such as on vertical drops

and banked curves) and explain how force vectors can be resolved to facilitate a determination of the net

force and acceleration for such sections.

9. Explain what is meant by g-forces and explain the underlying physics which explain the various g-

force phenomenon during a roller coaster ride.


10. Explain the cause of weightless sensations and relate such sensations of weightlessness to the normal forces

experienced by roller coaster riders during specific sections of a roller coaster ride.

11. Explain how and why roller coaster designers use projectile mathematics to design the trajectories of small

dips and relate such designs to the weightless sensations experienced by riders; use a diagram and sample

numbers to illustrate the usefulness of such calculations.

12. Describe what a clothoid loop is and explain why it is used in place of the traditional circular loop.

13. Describe some rotational motion principles and apply such principles to explain the motion experienced by

riders in either roller coaster rides or other amusement park rides.

14. Explain what is known about the physiological symptoms experienced by roller coaster riders and relate

specific symptoms to the motion characteristics of roller coaster rides.

15. Conduct a comparison between roller coaster rides and other amusement park rides in terms of the

underlying physics and the related physiological experience of the riders.

16. Explain the methods used and questions asked by roller coaster designers and safety engineers in the

process of designing roller coaster rides.

17. Retrieve specific statistics about various roller coaster rides, specifically record-breaking rides; make

meaning of such statistics by relating values of heights, speeds, and angle measurements to the physics of

motion.

18. Describe the history of roller coaster rides and some of the early disasters which resulted from phaulty

physics.


Rubrics

Literature Search Rubric

Attributes Above Standard At Standard Still a Goal

Attribute

Points

Earned

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Model

Synthesis

Students make meaning of

the information and

incorporate it into their own

mental world model by

generating example

calculations, illustrations,

tables and/or diagrams

(created by the group).

Students make partial

meaning of the information

and incorporate it into their

own mental world model by

generating example




Students make little or no

meaning of the information

and do not incorporate it into

their own mental world

model by generating example




/5

(10-9) (8.5-7) (6.5-0)

Depth of

Study

Gathered information

includes the basics of the

topic and an in-depth study

of the topic.

Gathered information

includes the basics of the

topic and an in-depth study

has begun.

Gathered information is

incomplete and does not

include the basics of the

topic.

/10

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Diagrams

More than 3 diagrams

(referenced if necessary) are

included that aid in the

communication of gathered

information.

A minimum of 3 diagrams

(referenced if necessary) are

included that aid in the

communication of gathered

information.

Diagrams are missing or do

not aid in communication of

gathered information. /5

Total Information Summary Points Earned /20

Project Proposal Rubric

Attributes Above Standard At Standard Below Standard

Attribute

Points

Earned

(10-9) (8.5-7) (7-0)

Purpose

Identified a question (without

the teacher's assistance)

which they found interesting

and testable; utilized

literature search to develop a

hypothesis which was

reasonable.

Identified a question (with

the teacher's assistance)

which they found

interesting and testable.

The purpose is

incomplete, too easy to

attain, or does not follow

from your research.

/10

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Variable

Control within

the Purpose

Variables which are to be

changed (independent) and

variables that are going to be

measured are clearly defined.

The group is committed to


changed (independent) and

variables that are going to

be measured are clearly

defined. The group has


changed (independent)

and variables that are

going to be measured are

not clearly defined. The

/5


analyzing an ambitious

number of variables that will

result in a thorough study of

the defined purpose.

committed to analyzing a

number of variables that

will result in a thorough

study of the defined

purpose.

group's defined variables

will result in an

incomplete study of the

defined purpose.

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Hypothesis

Utilized Literature Search to

develop a hypothesis which

was reasonable and well

substantiated with research.

Utilized Literature Search

to develop a hypothesis

which was reasonable.

Hypothesis is not

complete or does not

flow logically from

research.

/5

(10-9) (8.5-7) (7-0)

Procedure

A well thought out,

sequential (step-by-step)

procedure is stated that

ANYONE could look at and

follow. It holds high promise

for collecting the information

sought. Measurements to be

made are systematic and

logically controlled

(changing one variable at a

time) and are repeated to

improve reliability of data.

A well thought out,

sequential (step-by-step)

procedure is stated that

ANYONE could look at

and follow. It holds high

promise for collecting the

information sought. The

measurements to be made

are systematic and logically

controlled (changing one

variable at a time).

The procedure is

incomplete, not

sequential, or takes effort

on the part of the reader

to follow. It may not be

systematic or logically

controlled (perhaps your

group has defined many

variables to vary at once

and have not clearly

decided how to measure

all variables.)

/10

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Diagram(s)

The diagram(s) are present

that lay out the nature of your

experiment. The computer

generated diagram(s) clearly

show (with labels) your

computer simulation or

physical model being

constructed.

The diagram(s) are present

that lay out the nature of

your experiment. The

diagram(s) clearly show

(with labels) your computer

simulation or physical

model being constructed.

The diagram(s) are

incomplete, hard to

follow or missing. /5

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Data

Interpretation

Plan

Plans for displaying the

collected data are clearly laid

out (a table is STRONGLY

recommended). Thoughts for

ambitious analysis of data

(graphical analysis, etc.) are

clearly communicated.

Plans for displaying the

collected data are clearly

laid out (a table is

STRONGLY

recommended). Thoughts

for thorough analysis of

data (graphical analysis,

etc.) are clearly

communicated.

The plan is incomplete or

does not logically match

with the data your group

has decided to collect.

/5

Total Proposal Points Earned /40

Data and Graph Rubric

Attributes Above Standard At Standard Still a Goal

Attribute

Points

Earned

(5-3.5) (3-0)

Data

Tables

Data tables are clearly labeled and in

column form. Column headings are

Data tables are

hard to follow, /5


accompanied by units. Data is logical

with inconsistent data (resulting from

inaccurate measurement techniques)

identified and removed.

incomplete or

missing.

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Graphs

Graphs accurately represent the

data, are accompanied by

equations from graphical

analysis (or similar analysis

tool), and have been manipulated

to be linear relationships.

Graphs accurately represent the data,

are accompanied by equations from

graphical analysis (or similar analysis

tool), but haven't correctly been

manipulated to be linear

relationships.

Graphs are

missing,

incomplete or

inaccurate.

/5

Total Proposal Points Earned /10

Discussion of Results Rubric

Attributes Above Standard At Standard Attribute Still A Goal

Attribute

Points

Earned

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Procedure and

Tested Variable

Summary

The project and tested

variables are elaborately

summarized .


variables are briefly

summarized.


variables are not

summarized completely

or are not present.

/5

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Relationship

Identification

Discovered relationships

are clearly identified,

follow logically from

gathered data, and are

accompanied by accurate

equations.

Discovered relationships are

clearly identified, follow

logically from gathered data,

and accompanied by an

equation that partially

matches the gathered data.

Discovered

relationships and

equations are not

clearly identified,

inaccurate or missing.

/5

(5-3.5) (3-0)

Relationship

Examples

At least two data points per

relationship are quoted to

exemplify stated

relationships.

Supporting data points

are missing or

incomplete. /5

(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Relationship

Model

Used and accurately

applied their mental model

of the world to postulate a

physical explanation for

findings.

Used and incorrectly applied

their mental model of the

world to postulate a physical

explanation for findings.

Little or no attempt to

apply thier mental

model of the world was

present.

/5

(10-9) (8.5-7) (6.5-0)

Relationship

Focus

Identified relationships

focus on the answer to the

main question(s) identified

in the project's purpose and

are connected to the larger

context of their topic of

study.


mostly focus on the answer

to the main question(s)

identified in the project's

purpose and are connected to

the larger context of their

topic of study.


have little or no

connection to the

project's purpose nor to

the larger context of

their topic of study.

/10


(5-4.5) (4-3.5) (3-0)

Errors

Errors are clearly identified

and the impact of these

errors on data and

conclusions are also

identified and discussed.

Errors are clearly identified. Errors are not clearly

identified. /5

(5-3.5) (3-0)

Project

Extensions

Ideas for future study of the

project's topic along with

suggestions for the project's

improvement are identified.

Few or no ideas for

future study of the

project's topic along

with suggestions for the

project's improvement

are present.

/5

Total Conclusion Points Earned /40

final physics project ms. barnes project proposal · final physics project ms. barnes in lieu of a...

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