For the assigned guided inquiry experiment, I chose to test the question: “how do different surfaces affect the momentum of marbles?” To create an experiment that would answer this question, I began considering the concepts related to momentum and varied surfaces. Momentum involves mass and velocity. Including velocity in my experiment meant that I needed to have a marble moving in a consistent direction and speed. To do this, I built a simple ramp out of a board of wood propped on a small box. The question I chose asks how different surfaces affect momentum, so I completed two trials; one on carpet and another on tile flooring. To assure the mass was consistent, I used the same marble during each trial. Researching concepts of momentum previous to creating the lab made the design process more efficient.
During the experiment, the marble traveled the furthest on the tile floor. I expected this outcome, as I predicted the carpet has more friction than the tile. The marble traveled only sixty-three centimeters on the carpet. The tile floor had less friction and allowed the marble to travel three point three meters.
The design of the momentum experiment went well, although a challenge I faced was connecting the science concepts to what was happening in the experiment. Physics is not my strong point in science, so I needed to review the concepts involved. This helped me appreciate how my students feel when they are learning new material. I feel that this experience was important for understanding how my students work through the learning process.
Something I appreciated about this assignment was the ability to choose the question I wanted to test. As a student, choice is important to me. It is good to be reminded that choice is a powerful motivator for my students. In the classroom, a modification I would make to this experiment would be to test different marbles or balls that vary in mass. This would provide more evidence that mass is an important factor in momentum. If I were to teach these concepts to my students, I would want them to understand how momentum works. While using a ramp, it would also open up an opportunity to talk about potential and kinetic energy. The experiment I designed would allow students to experience the science behind motion.
I like the way you’re thinking. Being physically science challenged too, I found experiencing the apprehensions and frustrations as our students do, enlightening. Learning new concepts is often difficult and as teachers, it is good to walk in our student’s shoes every once and awhile. I appreciate your thoughts on establishing a foundation of momentum before they began as well as tying the trials into new concepts like kinetic and potential energy.
ReplyDeleteI agree also that choices can benefit the students. I like that you plan to keep the basic experiment the same but offer choices of types of balls to use. Allowing each team the freedom to use different size and weight balls to collect data will indeed produce a wider spectrum of data to better support your lesson.
Thanks for sharing
Betsy