Explore the forces at work in a tug of war or pushing …
Explore the forces at work in a tug of war or pushing a refrigerator, crate, or person. Create an applied force and see how it makes objects move. Change friction and see how it affects the motion of objects.
Students work as engineers and learn to conduct controlled experiments by changing …
Students work as engineers and learn to conduct controlled experiments by changing one experimental variable at a time to study its effect on the experiment outcome. Specifically, they conduct experiments to determine the angular velocity for a gear train with varying gear ratios and lengths. Student groups assemble LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT robots with variously sized gears in a gear train and then design programs using the NXT software to cause the motor to rotate all the gears in the gear train. They use the LEGO data logging program and light sensors to set up experiments. They run the program with the motor and the light sensor at the same time and analyze the resulting plot in order to determine the angular velocity using the provided physics-based equations. Finally, students manipulate the gear train with different gears and different lengths in order to analyze all these factors and figure out which manipulation has a higher angular velocity. They use the equations for circumference of a circle and angular velocity; and convert units between radians and degrees.
A gear is a simple machine that is very useful to increase …
A gear is a simple machine that is very useful to increase the speed or torque of a wheel. In this activity, students learn about the trade-off between speed and torque when designing gear ratios. The activity setup includes a LEGO(TM) MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT pulley system with two independent gear sets and motors that spin two pulleys. Each pulley has weights attached by string. In a teacher demonstration, the effect of adding increasing amounts of weight to the pulley systems with different gear ratios is observed as the system's ability to lift the weights is tested. Then student teams are challenged to design a gear set that will lift a given load as quickly as possible. They test and refine their designs to find the ideal gear ratio, one that provides enough torque to lift the weight while still achieving the fastest speed possible.
Students are introduced to gear transmissions and gear ratios using LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) …
Students are introduced to gear transmissions and gear ratios using LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT robots, gears and software. They discover how gears work and how they can be used to adjust a vehicle's power. Specifically, they learn how to build the transmission part of a vehicle by designing gear trains with different gear ratios. Students quickly recognize that some tasks require vehicle speed while others are more suited for vehicle power. They are introduced to torque, which is a twisting force, and to speed the two traits of all rotating engines, including mobile robots using gears, bicycles and automobiles. Once students learn the principles behind gear ratios, they are put to the test in two simple design activities that illustrate the mechanical advantages of gear ratios. The "robot race" is better suited for a quicker robot while the "robot push" calls for a more powerful robot. A worksheet and post-activity quiz verify that students understand the concepts, including the tradeoff between torque and speed.
Students construct a model roadway with congestion and apply their knowledge of …
Students construct a model roadway with congestion and apply their knowledge of level of service (LOS) to assign a grade to the road conditions. The roadway is simply a track outlined with cones or ropes with a few students walking around it to mimic congestion. The remaining students employ both techniques of density and flow to classify the LOS of the track.
This article is about improving internet speed in 5 easy ways. Internet …
This article is about improving internet speed in 5 easy ways. Internet is of essential use now a days in our life. Most of the works are done online these days. If your internet is lagging and you are finding difficulty to improve speed than this article is for you. Check it out and try these hacks to keep your internet running smoothly.
Students engage in the second design challenge of the unit, which is …
Students engage in the second design challenge of the unit, which is an extension of the maze challenge they solved in the first lesson/activity of this unit. Students extend the ideas learned in the maze challenge with a focus more on the robot design. Gears are a very important part of any machine, particularly when it has a power source such as engine or motor. Specifically, students learn how to design the gear train from the LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) NXT servomotor to the wheel to make the LEGO taskbot go faster or slower. A PowerPoint® presentation, pre/post quizzes and a worksheet are provided.
This activity is a lab investigation where students observe, record, and gather …
This activity is a lab investigation where students observe, record, and gather data on the speed, acceleration, constant speed, and average speed of toy cars. This activity allows for futher investigation of speed, time, and distance of objects to calculate speed and acceleration.
In this activity, learners investigate the speed of chemical reactions with light …
In this activity, learners investigate the speed of chemical reactions with light sticks. Learners discover that reactions can be sped up or slowed down due to temperature changes.
Ever hang your head in shame after your Python program wasn’t as …
Ever hang your head in shame after your Python program wasn’t as fast as your friend’s C program? Ever wish you could use objects without having to use Java? Join us for this fun introduction to C and C++! We will take you through a tour that will start with writing simple C programs, go deep into the caves of C memory manipulation, resurface with an introduction to using C++ classes, dive deeper into advanced C++ class use and the C++ Standard Template Libraries. We’ll wrap up by teaching you some tricks of the trade that you may need for tech interviews. We see this as a “C/C++ empowerment” course: we want you to come away understanding
why you would want to use C over another language (control over memory, probably for performance reasons), why you would want to use C++ rather than C (objects), and how to be useful in C and C++.
This course is offered during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month.
This activity is a field investigation where students will gather data on …
This activity is a field investigation where students will gather data on speed, acceleration, gravity, friction, and forces. They will design and conduct an investigation.
This activity needs large linoleum, carpet and tar or asphalt space to …
This activity needs large linoleum, carpet and tar or asphalt space to race student constructed balloon powered cars. Students will learn that speed, velocity, and changes in velocity are the result of the action of forces on objects
This introduction to motion activity has students exploring speed and acceleration using …
This introduction to motion activity has students exploring speed and acceleration using a wheeled office chair and rope to pull a student a given distance and record the time. The results are graphed and different outcomes are predicted when variables are changed.
In this activity students will learn to calculate the speed and acceleration …
In this activity students will learn to calculate the speed and acceleration of an object using tornado tubes and determine if mass affects the speed of the object.
Students explore methods employing simple machines likely used in ancient pyramid building, …
Students explore methods employing simple machines likely used in ancient pyramid building, as well as common modern-day material transportation. They learn about the wheel and axle as a means to transport materials from rock quarry to construction site. They also learn about different types and uses of a lever for purposes of transport. In an open-ended design activity, students choose from everyday materials to engineer a small-scale cart and lever system to convey pyramid-building materials.
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