Monday, September 30, 2013
Blog Reflection
In this unit I learned about Newton's First Law, Inertia, Net Force, Equilibrium, Speed, Velocity, equation for a straight line, and Acceleration. I also learned different formulas and equations to go along with each of these concepts.
Newton's First Law and Inertia: At the beginning of this unit, the first things we talked about was Newton's First Law and Inertia. Newton's First law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Inertia is another way to refer to Newton's First Law. An example of Inertia is when there are plates on top of a table cloth and someone pulls the table cloth out from under the dishes and the dishes remain on the table. They remain at rest and don't move with the table cloth, because they were not being acted upon by an outside force. Inertia is occurring but you cannot say that the reason this happens if because of Inertia, because Inertia is a property. Another good way to think of Inertia is by saying things like to continue doing what they are doing, so if an object is at rest it will want to stay at rest. One more example of Inertia is if you throw a penny up in your hand it will land right back in your hand. There is no force that is causing the penny to move forward with the car.
Net force and Equilibrium: Netforce is once or more forces acting upon an object at once. A force is either a push or it is a pull. So and example of net force would be the following:
This is an example of an object moving at a newt force of 10 newtons. Newtons is the measure of force. If the force of friction ( the amount of resistance) were to be 10N then the net force would be equal to 0N which would mean the object would be at equilibrium. If an object is either moving at a constant velocity or the object is at rest then it is at equilibrium because there is no force, or the force is equal.
Speed and Velocity: Speed is how fast an object is moving. There are many ways to measure speed but in Physics the most common way is m/s. In order to determine speed, you have to use the equation which is distance/time. Speed is different from velocity, because velocity requires a specific direction. Velocity is the speed of an object that is moving in a specific direction. In order to change velocity, there needs to be an outside force acting on the object. Another way to change your velocity is by changing direction. Changing direction does not change the speed though. An example of this is a race car rounding the corner at 90 km/hr. The car would continue at a constant speed but it would not be going at a constant velocity, because it is changing direction.
Equation of a straight line: The Equation of a straight line is y=mx+b. The y in this equation stands for time and the m stands for 1/2 a and the x stands for time^2. So this equation could also be written as d= 1/2 at^2.
Acceleration: Acceleration means an increase or decrease in speed. In order to find acceleration you would use the equation of change in velocity/ time. The unit used for acceleration is m/s2.
In this picture, it shows how the ball accelerates based on the height of the ramp. If you want to determine how fast an object is moving then you would use v=a (acceleration) x t (time). And if you want to figure out how far an object is going you would use the equation d=1/2 at2. Acceleration means how much the object is speeding up. In order to have a constant acceleration then the increase must be equal. For example going from 52 to 54 to 56 would be a constant acceleration, or going from 56 to 54 to 52. If an object is moving from 50 to 58 to 59 then it would not be constant.
Me as a Student
I think that the the most difficult part for me this unit was the equation for a line and graphing. After watching the video made by my classmates about graphing and equations, it made it much more clear. I took notes on that video and I understand when and why I use certain equations. I also reviewed labs and old notes to see where I used this equation. The lightbulb clicked for me when I re-watched the podcast on this topic, because they explained it in a way that made it easy for me to understand. They also had visuals which made it even clearer.
I think that I have had a pretty good understanding of Physics so far this year. I have completed my homework, and I really appreciate the videos Ms. Lawrence made because they helped to hammer in the concept that we learned. I think that the blogs have been successful in helping us as students explain what we have learned. I think that I have put a lot of effort into making sure my blog posts are good, but I do think that there is room for improvement. One way I could improve my blog posts is by making them even more detailed and accurate. In Physics I see the use of creativity by coming up with scenerios that Physics can be applied to such as a car driving around a race track. I think that I do take my time working on problems, but I could be even more detailed in my answering. My goals for the next unit is to make sure I completely understand a concept before taking a quiz on it. I also need to work on showing all of my work on a quiz. I could do this by writing out the formulas and all the information needed on a problem even if it seems unecessary before completing it. I think that I also need to participate and ask more questions in class.
Making Connections
Physics is seen in everyday life. A few examples of where is see Physics include driving down the road and in sports. When I drive to school and we turn out of my driveway onto cane creek road, we are experiencing a change in acceleration because we are both turning and speeding up. We are not moving at a constant velocity though when we are moving, because we are changing speed and direction. During field hockey practice I see Physics all the time. When I hit the ball it is not longer at rest because I hit it with an outside force. The stick causes the ball to move until the grass (another force) causes it to slow down and eventually stop. If the ground was completely flat and even then the ball would continue to move because an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Constant Velocity Vs. Constant Acceleration
The purpose of this lab we just finished was to deepen our understanding of the difference between velocity and acceleration and to learn how to solve for how fast and how far something is going using the equation of a line. We also learned how to translate the equation of a line into words then numbers.
During the lab it became clearer the difference between constant velocity and constant acceleration.Constant velocity means that the object is moving at a constant speed. There is no acceleration or change in speed. Constant acceleration means that the object is speeding up or slowing down at a constant speed.
In the lab we rolled a marble down a flat surface to determine the constant velocity, we did this by making a mark of where the ball was every second and then measuring the distance between the marks using cm. We did the same thing to find the acceleration of the marble but it was on a ramp instead so the marble was constantly speeding up.
I learned that if something is moving at a constant velocity, it cannot be moving at a constant acceleration because that would mean constantly speeding up and in order to have a constant velocity it needs to be at equilibrium. The formula that is used to determine constant acceleration is a= the change in V/ time. The equation for constant velocity is v=distance/time. Another distinction between constant velocity and constant acceleration is the line graphs. A line graph for constant velocity would be a straight diagonal line whereas a line graph for constant acceleration would be a curved line that becomes steeper as it accelerates. The line graph and the line equation support my data because it shows how constant velocity has an even distance between every mark (second) and for acceleration the graph shows how the ball sped up and covered more distance in less time.
One important thing that I learned from this lab is how to take a line equation and translate it into words such as distance and time. I am sure that I will see this equation much more throughout Physics class this year. This lab also helped me with the other equations we have learned such as the equation for how fast and how far something is going. Another thing that became more clear is how to determine whether something is at constant velocity or if it is moving at constant acceleration. This became much more clear to me when we did the experiment with the marble on the table. One other thing I learned is how to graph my results and figure out the equation of the line.
During the lab it became clearer the difference between constant velocity and constant acceleration.Constant velocity means that the object is moving at a constant speed. There is no acceleration or change in speed. Constant acceleration means that the object is speeding up or slowing down at a constant speed.
In the lab we rolled a marble down a flat surface to determine the constant velocity, we did this by making a mark of where the ball was every second and then measuring the distance between the marks using cm. We did the same thing to find the acceleration of the marble but it was on a ramp instead so the marble was constantly speeding up.
I learned that if something is moving at a constant velocity, it cannot be moving at a constant acceleration because that would mean constantly speeding up and in order to have a constant velocity it needs to be at equilibrium. The formula that is used to determine constant acceleration is a= the change in V/ time. The equation for constant velocity is v=distance/time. Another distinction between constant velocity and constant acceleration is the line graphs. A line graph for constant velocity would be a straight diagonal line whereas a line graph for constant acceleration would be a curved line that becomes steeper as it accelerates. The line graph and the line equation support my data because it shows how constant velocity has an even distance between every mark (second) and for acceleration the graph shows how the ball sped up and covered more distance in less time.
One important thing that I learned from this lab is how to take a line equation and translate it into words such as distance and time. I am sure that I will see this equation much more throughout Physics class this year. This lab also helped me with the other equations we have learned such as the equation for how fast and how far something is going. Another thing that became more clear is how to determine whether something is at constant velocity or if it is moving at constant acceleration. This became much more clear to me when we did the experiment with the marble on the table. One other thing I learned is how to graph my results and figure out the equation of the line.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Velocity and Acceleration Video
This video helps to further explain exactly what acceleration,velocity, and speed is and how they are different. There are examples given such as using runners to figure out who is faster. It helped me to understand the different equations and how acceleration, velocity, and speed are different. Another example is of a car traveling from one town to another and using the equation of d/t. Having a constant acceleration means that the object is speeding up at a consistent rate, and having constant velocity would mean the same speed. This video helped me to further my understanding of these three concepts.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Hovercraft Inertia Lab
A.) Unfortunately I wasn't able to ride the hovercraft because it broke, but I hear from my colleagues that it was smooth and it kept a constant speed. I also hear from them that it took a lot of force to stop because it was moving at a fast speed. Riding a hovercraft is different from riding a skateboard or sled, because both a sled and a skateboard have contact with the ground where they experience friction. You feel the bumps and other obstacles which cause the skateboard or sled to slow down and stop if a force doesn't push the object forward.
B.) I learned how the object moving with keep a constant velocity and it won't even slow down unless an outside force acts upon it. I also learned that to have a net force of zero the two forces pushing the object must be using the exact same amount of force. In this lab I also learned exactly what equilibrium is. It means that all forces are acting at a single moment, which I saw in phase one and three of the hovercraft lab.
C.) Based on this lab, acceleration depends on the person's mass riding the hovercraft as well as the net force. The mass is important in acceleration because the smaller the person the faster the acceleration and the bigger the person the slower the acceleration. The net force is important in the acceleration because if one of the forces is pushing the hovercraft with more force then it will accelerate but if the two forces are equal then there will be no acceleration.
D.) Based on this lab you would have constant velocity when you are pushed. You will remain at a constant velocity until there is some sort of outside force that acts on the hovercraft.
E.) Some members riding the hovercraft were harder to stop on the hovercraft either because they weighed more, or because they were moving at a faster speed.
B.) I learned how the object moving with keep a constant velocity and it won't even slow down unless an outside force acts upon it. I also learned that to have a net force of zero the two forces pushing the object must be using the exact same amount of force. In this lab I also learned exactly what equilibrium is. It means that all forces are acting at a single moment, which I saw in phase one and three of the hovercraft lab.
C.) Based on this lab, acceleration depends on the person's mass riding the hovercraft as well as the net force. The mass is important in acceleration because the smaller the person the faster the acceleration and the bigger the person the slower the acceleration. The net force is important in the acceleration because if one of the forces is pushing the hovercraft with more force then it will accelerate but if the two forces are equal then there will be no acceleration.
D.) Based on this lab you would have constant velocity when you are pushed. You will remain at a constant velocity until there is some sort of outside force that acts on the hovercraft.
E.) Some members riding the hovercraft were harder to stop on the hovercraft either because they weighed more, or because they were moving at a faster speed.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Inertia Demonstration
In this video there are two eggs that are being spun. One of the eggs is raw and the other is hardboiled. The hardboiled egg spins easily and smoothly while the raw egg is more bumpy because of the yolk inside. When the raw egg is touched while spinning it continues to spin, whereas the hardboiled egg stops completely. The raw egg continues to spin because the yolk inside never stopped moving or had any outside force acting upon it. This is a clear demonstration of inertia and Newton's first law which states an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by and outside force. Although the egg was acted upon by and outside force, the yolk inside was not. The yolk caused the egg to continue spinning because of inertia. This video was helpful to understand this concept because it shows in a simple way how an object will continue moving unless it is directly acted upon by an outside force. This video made this concept helped me to understand that there could be an object inside of another object that causes it to keep moving.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Physics This Year
This year in Physics I expect to learn about how and why things move, such as why one object when dropped might hit the ground faster than a different object that is dropped at the same height. Another thing I hope to learn in class this year is how certain safety regulations are made and how they work. I am also very interested in understanding ocean tides and how and why waves form and crash on the beach. I that by the end of the year I will be able to see Physics in life outside of the classroom.
Physics is an important subject to know for many people because Physics is seen in everyday life. It is an interesting way of understanding how the universe works and it explains why things are the way they are. Without studying Physics, we wouldn't have computers or be able to understand our environment so I think Physics is very important to learn.
One question I have about Physics is how it relates to sound and sight. One other question I have about Physics is how it was used to build computers and how Physics is related to calculators and how they answer such tedious questions. Lastly I would like to know other ways Physics is seen in everyday life such as in a action movies or in a soccer game.
One goal that I have this year in Physics is to always go to Mrs. Lawrence or my classmates for help whenever I need it. Along with asking for help I don't ever want to get behind because I don't fully understand something. I also want to make sure I stay focused and attentive during class discussions and projects. My last goal is to always do a thorough job on my homework, and not turn in one late assignment.
Physics is an important subject to know for many people because Physics is seen in everyday life. It is an interesting way of understanding how the universe works and it explains why things are the way they are. Without studying Physics, we wouldn't have computers or be able to understand our environment so I think Physics is very important to learn.
One question I have about Physics is how it relates to sound and sight. One other question I have about Physics is how it was used to build computers and how Physics is related to calculators and how they answer such tedious questions. Lastly I would like to know other ways Physics is seen in everyday life such as in a action movies or in a soccer game.
One goal that I have this year in Physics is to always go to Mrs. Lawrence or my classmates for help whenever I need it. Along with asking for help I don't ever want to get behind because I don't fully understand something. I also want to make sure I stay focused and attentive during class discussions and projects. My last goal is to always do a thorough job on my homework, and not turn in one late assignment.
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