General suggestions/questions/comments

[admin]

We have provided opportunities below to comment on the What Do You Think or the For You to Do or the Physics Talk.  If that level of organization is not suitable for you for comments, then please use this thread.  Do you have any general suggestions/questions/comments that you would like to make about this Activity?

[Sandy Shutey]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

[Danielle Joslin]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied.  Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied?  Just a suggestion.

[Judy Scheffler]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

Sandy,  Here are some rubrics I use, hopefully something is helpful1

[Sandy Shutey]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied.  Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied?  Just a suggestion.

[Dan Wood]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied.  Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied?  Just a suggestion.

Danielle, This is Daniel.  Have you started school yet?  I read your suggestion for activity 3, and I had my students do what you suggested.  They too found it difficult to apply a constant unbalanced force on the tennis balls, so I got rid of the tennis balls in the kits and went to crochet balls instead.  They are bigger and once rolling were easier to control.  I also had the students actually use the pennyweight scale they created and had them tape it perpendicular to the ruler not used to push the ball.  Holding two rulers together, one about a hand-hold below the ruler with the scale on it, the students were able to read the scale and actually push the ball with a constant unbalanced force with the ruler that was actually doing the pushing!  I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and post it.  Thanks for the idea.  Dan Wood

[Matt Anthes-Washburn]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied.  Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied?  Just a suggestion.

Danielle, This is Daniel.  Have you started school yet?  I read your suggestion for activity 3, and I had my students do what you suggested.  They too found it difficult to apply a constant unbalanced force on the tennis balls, so I got rid of the tennis balls in the kits and went to crochet balls instead.  They are bigger and once rolling were easier to control.  I also had the students actually use the pennyweight scale they created and had them tape it perpendicular to the ruler not used to push the ball.  Holding two rulers together, one about a hand-hold below the ruler with the scale on it, the students were able to read the scale and actually push the ball with a constant unbalanced force with the ruler that was actually doing the pushing!  I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and post it.  Thanks for the idea.  Dan Wood

Dan, that picture will be very helpful. It sounds like you've got it figured out.

[Dan Wood]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied.  Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied?  Just a suggestion.

Danielle, This is Daniel.  Have you started school yet?  I read your suggestion for activity 3, and I had my students do what you suggested.  They too found it difficult to apply a constant unbalanced force on the tennis balls, so I got rid of the tennis balls in the kits and went to crochet balls instead.  They are bigger and once rolling were easier to control.  I also had the students actually use the pennyweight scale they created and had them tape it perpendicular to the ruler not used to push the ball.  Holding two rulers together, one about a hand-hold below the ruler with the scale on it, the students were able to read the scale and actually push the ball with a constant unbalanced force with the ruler that was actually doing the pushing!  I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and post it.  Thanks for the idea.  Dan Wood

Dan, that picture will be very helpful. It sounds like you've got it figured out.

Matt, Good to hear from you.  The picture of crochet ball and force meter is posted at http://photos.yahoo.com/dccywood Hope the picture is clear enough.  Let me know what you think.
One of my students just naturally made this!  Dan

[Matt Anthes-Washburn]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied. Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied? Just a suggestion.

Danielle, This is Daniel. Have you started school yet? I read your suggestion for activity 3, and I had my students do what you suggested. They too found it difficult to apply a constant unbalanced force on the tennis balls, so I got rid of the tennis balls in the kits and went to crochet balls instead. They are bigger and once rolling were easier to control. I also had the students actually use the pennyweight scale they created and had them tape it perpendicular to the ruler not used to push the ball. Holding two rulers together, one about a hand-hold below the ruler with the scale on it, the students were able to read the scale and actually push the ball with a constant unbalanced force with the ruler that was actually doing the pushing! I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and post it. Thanks for the idea. Dan Wood

Dan, that picture will be very helpful. It sounds like you've got it figured out.

Matt, Good to hear from you. The picture of crochet ball and force meter is posted at http://photos.yahoo.com/dccywood Hope the picture is clear enough. Let me know what you think.
One of my students just naturally made this! Dan

Ingenious! That's a great way to do it. So you have two rulers sandwiched together in one hand, correct? It's so much easier to use & see!

[Dan Wood]

To move the spheres, it is suggested that the student be told to keep the ruler next to the sphere and also the ruler should be touching it so the full width of the ruler is perpendicular to the sphere.

It seemed that when using the rulers to provide the force it was difficult to know if a constant force was applied. Could we attach a paper scale that the students have drawn so that they can see how much force is being applied? Just a suggestion.

Danielle, This is Daniel. Have you started school yet? I read your suggestion for activity 3, and I had my students do what you suggested. They too found it difficult to apply a constant unbalanced force on the tennis balls, so I got rid of the tennis balls in the kits and went to crochet balls instead. They are bigger and once rolling were easier to control. I also had the students actually use the pennyweight scale they created and had them tape it perpendicular to the ruler not used to push the ball. Holding two rulers together, one about a hand-hold below the ruler with the scale on it, the students were able to read the scale and actually push the ball with a constant unbalanced force with the ruler that was actually doing the pushing! I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and post it. Thanks for the idea. Dan Wood

Dan, that picture will be very helpful. It sounds like you've got it figured out.

Matt, Good to hear from you. The picture of crochet ball and force meter is posted at http://photos.yahoo.com/dccywood Hope the picture is clear enough. Let me know what you think.
One of my students just naturally made this! Dan

Ingenious! That's a great way to do it. So you have two rulers sandwiched together in one hand, correct? It's so much easier to use & see!

Matt, Thanks for posting the picture.  You can't see the second ruler in the photo very well, but you hold two rulers together, the static one is about 30 cm above the force meter ruler.  The edge of the static ruler is where you measure the force.  It works great! Dan