Science Quest – RACE CARS!
Objectives:
1. First we would like to encourage our groups to truly work as a team – each person contributing something unique to the experiment.
2. Introduce:
a) what an angle is and how to measure it
b) the importance of replication in an experiment and the concept of taking an average of two numbers
c) friction and how it effects motion
Brief Outline
1. Kids are divided into 3 teams (each with their own setup)
2. Talk about what is an angle, show them a protractor, have them measure various angles (90 degrees and less). Talk to them about the scientific method and explain today they are going to do an experiment. Talk about what a hypothesis is – a prediction. Also talk about how one important part of an experiment is replication. Conceptionally describe how you take an average – such as an average of 2 lengths. You yourself will be calculating the averages but it is important they understand WHY we are doing it. You replicate an experiment to make sure your results are repeatable. Briefly introduce them to the topic and show them the TO DO list (a “kid friendly” written version of the experiment). Don’t spend too much time on this. Get out there and play! J Teach during the experiment too.
3. Take them outside and introduce them to the setup and materials.
4. Assign initial job duties and reaffirm the importance of each. They will rotate through the different duties at appropriate times. Let them know this.
5. Read out loud the steps of each experiment. Run the experiment.
6. At the end, all the teams will come together. They will share with the other teams their findings about what the best angle and best racing car for greater distance was. Then we will use the 3 setups side by side to have a race to see whose “optimal angle and car” works the best.
7. If you finish before the other groups, talk about friction. Use the red rubber matting to show how increasing the friction will affect how far the cars will go. Let them guess how far the cars will go when you increase the friction.
RACE CARS
ANGLES AND FRICTION
SCIENCE QUEST 2008
Team Members: ______
(print your name)
______
______
______
______
Objectives: A) To find out at which angle of the launching ramp do the race cars go
the furthest distance.
B) How does friction affect how far the race cars will go? Would size of
the race car affect the distance?
Materials: 1 launching ramp
3 grey racing lanes
1 small size race car
1 medium size race car
1 large race truck
Protractor
Measuring tape
Pencil
Calculator
Team Jobs: 1 person to measure angle of ramp
2 people to hold ramp at correct angle
2 people to measure how far the race cars go
1 person to record the distances (the adult supervisor)
1 person to launch race cars
Part 1 and 2 Questions:
1. Look at the cars and pass them around. Describe each car and how they are different from eachother.
Which car is the biggest?
Which car is the heaviest?
2. Which car do you think will travel the greatest distance? Why do you think that? Record your hypothesis on your team data worksheet under “Hypothesis 1”.
3. Which care do you think will travel the fastest down the launching ramp? Why do you think that? Do you think it is also the car that will travel the greatest distance? Record your hypothesis on your team data worksheet under “Hypothesis 2”.
METHODS Part 1. – Which car goes the greatest distance?
STEP 1: Read through all steps before starting experiment.
STEP 2: Set launching ramp to 20 degree angle. Lay racing lanes on top of ramp (3 side by side). Make sure racing lanes hang off onto the ground. (The racing lanes may have already been attached for you with duct tape)
STEP 3: Set the 3 racing cars at the top of the racing lanes. (*Note: the Big car should be in the middle lane to keep it on the track) Ready, set, RELEASE! Be sure to just let go of the car, do NOT push the cars. What happens to the distance that the cars go if you push them down the ramp and not let just gravity pull them down the ramp?
STEP 4: Measure the distance each car traveled. Record these distances in your data worksheet.
STEP 5: Repeat STEPS 2 – 4.
STEP 6: Which car traveled the greatest distance? Record this on the data worksheet. Was this car the car you had predicted in your hypothesis?
METHODS Part 2. – Which car is the fastest down the launching ramp?
STEP 1: Rotate jobs.
STEP 2: Repeat STEPS 1 – 3 from Part 1.
STEP 3: This time notice which car went fastest down the ramp. Which was the slowest? Record the order of fastest (First Place) to slowest (Third Place) on your data worksheet.
STEP 4: Repeat STEPS 1 and 2 again.
STEP 6: Which car traveled fastest? Record this on the data worksheet. Was this car the car you had predicted in your hypothesis?
Part 3 Questions:
1. How would changing the angle of the launching ramp effect how far the cars traveled? If we increased the angle of the ramp would the cars go farther?
2. Of the following options, which angle do you think will make the cars go the furthest? 10, 20, 50 or 80 degrees? Record your prediction as “Hypothesis 3” on your data worksheet.
METHODS Part 3. – Which angle of the launching ramp makes the cars go the furthest distance?
STEP 1: Rotate jobs.
STEP 2: Set launching ramp to 10 degree angle. Lay racing lanes on top of ramp (3 side by side). Make sure racing lanes hang off onto the ground.
STEP 3: Set the 3 racing cars at the top of the racing lanes. Ready, set, RELEASE! Be sure to just let go of the car, remember do NOT push the cars.
STEP 4: Measure the distance each car traveled. Record these distances in your data worksheet.
STEP 5: Rotate jobs.
STEP 6: Set launching ramp to 50 degree angle. Repeat STEPS 2 – 4.
STEP 7: Rotate jobs.
STEP 8: Set launching ramp to 80 degree angle. Repeat STEPS 2 – 4. Anything interesting happen with the 80 degree angle?
STEP 9: You already have the data for what happens at a 20 degree angle. Use the average distances for the cars from your Part 1 data.
STEP 10: As a team, look at the results together. Which combination of type of race car and angle of launching tramp made the racing car travel the furthest distance. Record this on your data worksheet.
STEP 11: Now we will join all 3 teams together and compare our results for all experiments. Then each team will set up their launching ramp at their best angle and use their best type of racing car from Part 3 to see who can make their racing car travel the furthest!
RACE CARS
ANGLES AND FRICTION
SCIENCE QUEST 2008
DATA WORKSHEET
Team Members: ______
(print your name)
______
______
______
______
Part 1:
Hypothesis 1: Which car will travel the furthest distance? Why do you think so?
Results from Experiment:
Car Type / 1st Try – Distance (feet) / 2nd Try – Distance (feet) / Average Distance (feet)Small Car
Medium Car
Truck
Conclusion: Which car traveled the furthest? Was it the car you predicted? If it wasn’t, why do you think the other car won?
Part 2:
Hypothesis 2: Which car will travel fastest down the launching ramp? Why do you think so?
Results from Experiment:
Car Type / 1st Try – Place / 2nd Try – Place / Average PlaceSmall Car
Medium Car
Truck
1st Place = Fastest
3rd Place = Slowest
Conclusion: Which car traveled the fastest down the launching ramp? Was it the car you predicted? If it wasn’t, why do you think the other car won?
Part 3:
Hypothesis 3: Which type of racing car at which angle will go the farthest? Why do you think so?
Results:
------Distance (feet)------
Car Type / 10 degree angle / 20 degree angle / 50 degree angle / 80 degree angleSmall Car
Medium Car
Truck
Conclusion: Which car type at which angle traveled the furthest? Was it the car you predicted? If it wasn’t, why do you think the other car and angle won?