Goals
After completion of this module
students will be able to:
1.
Observe two-dimensional motion at work
2.
Identify the major terms and equations involved in
two-dimensional motion
3.
Apply their knowledge of two-dimensional motion to
the completion of problems.
4.
Test their knowledge of two-dimensional in a real
life situation.
Introduction
One of
the great things about physics is that it is around us all the time. We are constantly experiencing physics on a
number of levels. When you woke up this
morning you probably hopped out of bed (or fell out of bed for those us who are
not morning people). Then you walked to
the kitchen and had breakfast before running around trying to get ready. Then you probably had to run to catch the bus
and then run again so you wouldn’t be late for your all important physics
class. In that short time you
experienced physics in an enormous amount.
Throughout
this module we will be discussing a type of physics known as motion, and more
specifically two-dimensional motion.
Two-dimensional motion can easily been seen in throwing a football or
baseball, hitting a golf ball, throwing something off of a building, and an
incredible amount of other situations.
Our goal in learning about two-dimensional motion is to be able to apply
it in solving a variety of different problems.
Also, the concepts involved here are critical because they will stay
with you throughout the rest of the year.
The simple laws and equations that go along with motion are the basis
for everything to come.
To access
the reading assignment for this lesson click on the picture below and it will
link you to the reading. Read every
section thoroughly and make sure that you understand every part of it. If you have any problems or trouble, don’t
hesitate to ask me or someone nearby for help.
While reading through the following section, think about the different
types of two-dimensional motion that you have observed or experienced and then
be prepared to discuss some of these motions.
Also, be prepared to answer questions and solve problems later using
your newly acquired knowledge of two-dimensional motion.
Activity
While
reading through the section it is important to ensure that you are getting the
most out of the assignment. Take the
time to look at all the animations and attempt to answer the questions within
the reading.
Reading
science text can be a very difficult task because it is unlike the reading you
do for any other type of text. You want
to make sure that you are focusing on the important aspects and are able to
pull out any major terms and equations, while developing a strong understanding
of them.
After
reading the section, we must now determine whether you really know your stuff
or not. There are two assessments
involved with this module. The first is
simply to solve problems involving two-dimensional motion. The second is a little more interesting and
fun. For this assignment you will be in
groups of two.
Assessment
Part
One
Click on the picture below, which
will link you to a list of problems involving two-dimensional motion. Answer all nine of the problems. For each problem include a picture, a list of
known quantities and unknowns, and work through the mathematical aspect of each
problem before coming up with an answer.
If you turn in just the answer it will be marked wrong, whether the
answer is right or not. Your answers
will be turned in on loose-leaf paper on the assigned date. Late work will be accepted, but will be
penalized. The entire assessment will be
worth thirty points or three points per problem. The problems will be graded as follows:
1st point: Picture or
diagram plus list of quantities
2nd point: Use of legitimate
equations and algebraic functions to work through
the problem
3rd point: Correct
answer
Part
Two
For the second part of the
assessment you will be working in groups to solve a real life physics
problem. Using the following
measurements, you will determine at precisely which angle to fire a balloon out
of a catapult in order to hit a target.
Horizontal distance: 50 yards
Initial velocity: 25 m/s
Final vertical height: 6 feet
What makes this assignment even
more interesting and fun is that the target will be me. I will be standing fifty yards away and you
have one shot to hit me.
The
grading scale for this assignment is in two parts and is worth fifty points. The first part is worth thirty points and involves
your written work and explanation for why you plan to fire the balloon at the
angle you decide. The rubric for this
assignment will be the same as the problems in the first part on an amplified
scale.
The
second part of the grade involves whether your physics is right or not, which
means if you are able to hit me with the balloon. Since I am a nice guy, I will give you a
little leeway with the second part. On
the ground around me will be a giant target.
The closer you get to me the more points you get. There will be three sections with the first
section being worth five points and then increasing by five with every section
closer until the full twenty points for making contact with me.
Bibliography
The Physics Classroom
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/vectors/U3L2a.html
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~probs/mech/ndkin.html