Pre-reading for Project 3A
The pre-readings for Project Part 3B are already on the Project 3B Blog. All these pre-readings include information from the manuals for the respective project parts. For Project Part 3A, which we will be doing first (should be in the 1st one and the half hours, while Project Part 3B should be in the 2nd one and the half hours), we will be focusing on the fastest ball challenge. In this challenge, we will be tasked to perform a simple experiment involving the rolling of a metal ball bearing down an inclined plane and then measuring the time it takes to travel the horizontal track. So, there will be a need for an inclined plane for the metal ball bearing to roll down on. Then, when the metal ball bearing reached the bottom of the inclined plane, it will continue to roll on a horizontal track, which is needed in this challenge too. The time taken for it to roll across the horizontal track will then be measured. The length of the horizontal track will be the same.
The pre-readings for Project Part 3B are already on the Project 3B Blog. All these pre-readings include information from the manuals for the respective project parts. For Project Part 3A, which we will be doing first (should be in the 1st one and the half hours, while Project Part 3B should be in the 2nd one and the half hours), we will be focusing on the fastest ball challenge. In this challenge, we will be tasked to perform a simple experiment involving the rolling of a metal ball bearing down an inclined plane and then measuring the time it takes to travel the horizontal track. So, there will be a need for an inclined plane for the metal ball bearing to roll down on. Then, when the metal ball bearing reached the bottom of the inclined plane, it will continue to roll on a horizontal track, which is needed in this challenge too. The time taken for it to roll across the horizontal track will then be measured. The length of the horizontal track will be the same.
The main objective of this challenge is to determine the angle of inclination for which the time of travel of the metal ball bearing across the horizontal track is the shortest OR will be the least. We will have to make use of the concepts of energy, which includes the conservation of energy, kinetic and gravitational potential energy to win OR do well in the challenge. We will also get to use a stopwatch and photogate sensors in their data acquisition (when collecting their data). Like last year in Physics, we will have to use the stopwatches to time the time taken for the metal ball bearing to roll across the horizontal track. We will be using the photogate sensors to measure the time taken for the metal ball bearing to pass between its arms. These photogate sensors are mainly used to measure the speed of a rolling object (they are used in many Physics experiments and have many other uses), or in this case the speed of the metal ball bearing. So, one measures time (stopwatch), and the other measures speed (photogate sensors).
When we are working on this challenge, we also need to take note of quite a few things. Because this challenge is mainly about the topic of energy in Physics, we have to consider about the different forms of energy. Another thing which we will need to apply is the concept of kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy each, since in this case we are taking in kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy into account (into the challenge). We have to know about what are the factors which will affect the amount of kinetic energy a moving object possesses, same for those that will affect the amount of gravitational potential energy it possesses.
From last year's topic on energy, we have learnt that the speed of the moving object is one of the factors which will affect the amount of kinetic energy it possesses, where when its speed is faster, the more kinetic energy it possesses. Another factor is the mass of the moving object. The higher the mass of the moving object, the more the amount of kinetic energy it possesses. With this, do take note that: Only a moving object possesses kinetic energy, a stationary one does not. For gravitational potential energy, the mass of the object is one of the factors which will affect the amount of this form of energy (gravitational potential energy) it possesses. The higher the mass, the more gravitational potential energy the object possesses. Another factor is the height of the object above the ground. The greater the height, the more gravitational potential energy the object possesses. With this, do take note that: Only an object which is above ground level possesses gravitational potential energy, an object which is on ground level does not possess this form of energy at all. Lastly, for all these factors, please be reminded that: The weight of the object will change when it is on the Moon, where it will be 1/6 of that on Earth.
When we are working on this challenge, we also need to take note of quite a few things. Because this challenge is mainly about the topic of energy in Physics, we have to consider about the different forms of energy. Another thing which we will need to apply is the concept of kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy each, since in this case we are taking in kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy into account (into the challenge). We have to know about what are the factors which will affect the amount of kinetic energy a moving object possesses, same for those that will affect the amount of gravitational potential energy it possesses.
From last year's topic on energy, we have learnt that the speed of the moving object is one of the factors which will affect the amount of kinetic energy it possesses, where when its speed is faster, the more kinetic energy it possesses. Another factor is the mass of the moving object. The higher the mass of the moving object, the more the amount of kinetic energy it possesses. With this, do take note that: Only a moving object possesses kinetic energy, a stationary one does not. For gravitational potential energy, the mass of the object is one of the factors which will affect the amount of this form of energy (gravitational potential energy) it possesses. The higher the mass, the more gravitational potential energy the object possesses. Another factor is the height of the object above the ground. The greater the height, the more gravitational potential energy the object possesses. With this, do take note that: Only an object which is above ground level possesses gravitational potential energy, an object which is on ground level does not possess this form of energy at all. Lastly, for all these factors, please be reminded that: The weight of the object will change when it is on the Moon, where it will be 1/6 of that on Earth.
