Lab4Physics Experiments

To introduce the definitions for, and understand the fundamental differences between, displacement, trajectory and distance traveled in order to use these concepts to describe motion.

Understand the process of creating and analyzing graphs of position vs. time and of velocity vs. time and their relation to each other.

To understand the difference between speed and velocity and the difference between instantaneous velocity and average velocity

To understand and analyze the uniform linear motion of an object submerged in a medium more viscous than air, such as liquid soap.

Relate uniform linear movement with its graphs: position and velocity.

To determine the effect that the magnitude of the acceleration has on uniformly accelerated motion

To understand the meaning of the sign of an object’s acceleration and how it relates to our daily use of the words “accelerate” and “brake.”

Students will hypothesize what the position vs. time graphs of specific movements will look like, and test their hypotheses through experimentation.

Understand and determine what type of movement is made by an object when this is drop into a test tube filled with some liquid from different heights (could be liquid soap) from the position vs. time and velocity vs. time graph.

To understand the concept of a reference system to connect a one-dimensional motion to its position versus time graph.

To understand concept of acceleration, which is the change in velocity over a certain period of time

Understand elastic force and how it could affect movement.

Study the friction force present between two surfaces that move relative to each other and how it varies depending on the materials in contact with each other

To understand the relationship that exists between the net force, mass and acceleration of (1) an object that is subjected to forces of different magnitudes or (2) objects with different masses that are each subjected to a force of the same magnitude.

To understand how the mechanical work done by different forces in a system can affect the motion of an object.

To understand the behavior of kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy and their relationship with mechanical energy in the case of a free-falling ball that bounces.

To determine the behavior of two particles involved in an elastic collision, by understanding how mass and impact velocity affect the momentum each particle reaches after the collision.

To calculate the spring constant of a rubber band or spring and compare its theoretical oscillation period with the experimental period.

Students will use different materials for the contact surface between an object and the slope of an inclined plane in order to understand how friction affects the object’s motion (acceleration) as it slides down the inclined plane.

To discover the relationship that exists between the force, mass and acceleration of an object that is subjected to different motions.

To understand the behavior of the kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy and mechanical energy of a ball as it falls due to its own weight. By calculating the value for these energies, students will be able to investigate and verify whether mechanical energy is conserved during the fall.

Students will analyze the collision of two marbles in order to test momentum conservation and explore the extent to which the collision is elastic (i.e., conserves kinetic energy).

Students will analyze the collision of two marbles in order to test momentum conservation and explore the extent to which the collision is elastic (i.e., conserves kinetic energy).

To understand the relationship between the angular velocity and the linear velocity of a rotating object undergoing uniform circular motion.

Describe the acceleration present during Uniform Circular Motion (UCM). Identify centripetal acceleration and the factors on which centripetal acceleration depends

To describe the motion of a rigid body as it is tossed into the air, analyzing its movements both from any point along its body and from its Center of Mass.

Analyze the change in the motion as the Moment of Inertia changes in the body without a mass change.

To discover the acceleration that acts in a Uniform Circular Motion (UCM) as well as to explain the concept of Centripetal Acceleration and, through experimentation, be able to define the factors on which centripetal acceleration depends.

Study the quantities associated with pendular motion and their dependency on the characteristics of the pendulum (length, mass, initial conditions, etc.)

To understand the effect that the medium of propagation has on the motion and amplitude of a wave as it travels through the medium

Determine the relationship between the pitch of a musical note and the tone and frequency of its sound.

To understand the concept of a cycle or oscillation by observing the movement of a pendulum, and to relate it to its corresponding acceleration vs. time graph.

Students will be able to differentiate between a sound’s “height” and its direct relationship with tone. Students will discover the relationship between a sound’s tone and frequency.

To experiment with the formation, interaction induction de electrostatically charged bodies.

To establish the rules to determine if a body will Buoyancy force float or will sink and in what way it will occur.