CONTEXT:

Adults understand that the phrase "what goes up, must come down" refers to gravity.  A child experiences the action of gravity, but gives it little thought.  Tossing a ball into the air, learning to walk or ride a bicycle, or using the slides and swings at the neighborhood playground are simply childhood memories.  Gravity and fun go hand in hand for children and for adults in their recreational and sporting pursuits.

Scientific concepts are easier to understand when a connection to everyday life is established.    This project involves a visit to a local playground or amusement park, where students can experience or act out scientific theories while having fun.  Whirling about on a merry-go-round, riding a swing, plunging down a slide or roller coaster hill, or flipping upside-down can introduce the concepts of acceleration, speed, revolution, force, velocity, gravity and inertia.  Many of these phenomena can be measured or calculated while having fun.

The following activities will help students to understand how things work and how the underlying physical principles are manifested in their environment.

CHALLENGE:

EXPLORATORY
Conduct one or both of these experiments on a merry-go-round at a neighborhood or school playground.

• Sit on the outer edge of the merry-go-round while holding a paper cup filled with water.  Better yet, put the cup into a cardboard tray or holder and keep it steady on the platform surface. Have a friend spin the platform as fast as possible and observe the water in the cup.
• Have a friend sit across from you on a merry-go-round.  You and your friend should sit as close to the center of the ride as possible.  Have a third friend spin the platform.  When the platform comes to a stop, you and your friend should move to the outer edge.  Repeat the spinning action, and note the differences.  What takes place while the platform is spinning? (Hint:  Someone could count the rotations per minute as the platform spins.)

The above experiment may be conducted using a tabletop lazy-Susan. 

INTERMEDIATE
Research, design and build an accelerometer for use on a merry-go-round.  Conduct several experiments to measure the acceleration you felt while you are aboard the playground ride or on a rotating ride at an amusement park.
 
ADVANCED
Research, design and build a horizontal or spring accelerometer.  Conduct several experiments while visiting a nearby amusement park. 

Research and model an amusement park ride that demonstrates the concepts of acceleration, speed, and centripetal force.

MATERIALS:

EXPLORATORY

• Merry-go round or lazy-Susan
• Paper cup
• Water
• Stopwatch

INTERMEDIATE
See the recipes in "Amusement Park Physics" for the accelerometer (in resources section.) 

ADVANCED

• K-NEX set
• Wood dowel rods and centimeter wood stock
• Glue
• Cardboard
• Beveled gears
• Lazy-Susan/Turntable
• Straight pins/T-pins
• Kite string

CRITERIA:

Your success on this Challenge will be based on your completion of the activities below. Three general criteria for your performance will be: your participation in the activity; the accuracy of your measurement and model construction; and the performance of your design.  Your teacher will help you understand how your performance will be graded.

EXPLORATORY

• Conduct experiments as directed
• Write a brief paragraph about your observations from one or both experiments
• Display the results of your experiment, such as a graph or poster
• Present your design

INTERMEDIATE

• Research several ways to build an accelerometer
• Gather materials and construct a model of one type of accelerometer
• Conduct experiments to measure desired data
• Process and sort data
• Find a creative way to display the results of your experiments, such as an interactive poster
• Present your design

ADVANCED

• Research several ways to build an accelerometer
• Design an accelerometer that uses a interesting application of the concept of "mass"
• Gather materials and construct and test a model of the proposed accelerometer
• Design a means of collecting data from the test experiments
• Collect, process and interpret the data
• Develop a display your experimental results for children younger than you
• Present your design

NOTE:  Students may also research an amusement park ride, gather the materials needed to construct a model, sketch several plans for their model, choose a design, and build, test and present the design.