For this week’s blog entry, I decided to take on the conundrum of how different types of surfaces affect the momentum of a marble. My initial hypothesis was the more surface area of a material, the more friction the marble will experience thus slowing down the marble. As soon as I started to set up this experiment, I realized that controlling all other variables would be difficult. The first thing I did was to create a ramp using a textbook and a notebook. This ensured that marble would be consistently traveling at one speed every time it was released. The next step was to choose materials for the marble to roll across, and I decided to use different household surfaces. Carpet, tile, concrete, and hardwood were the most readily available thus I went to work.
As I carried out this experiment, I discovered several things. First, a marble rolls great distances on hardwood, tile, and concrete. The procedure had to be modified to include a time in order to determine the momentum. Unfortunately, I did not have access to a stopwatch or have anyone to help me, so my data is inaccurate. Trying to watch the marble pass a certain point and watch the clock to determine that time was extremely frustrating. This particular obstacle illustrated why it is beneficial to use partners and teamwork while performing experiments. (TEACH Engineering) My second realization was that my hypothesis proved to be correct. I realize that my data was incomplete, but using what I did collect showed that the marble rolls furthest and fastest on hardwood. It did not get further than 20 centimeters on carpet. This was a perfect example of Newton
If I were setting this experiment up in my classroom, I would probably try to create a competition. Seeing as the final result is the understanding of how momentum is affected by mass, velocity, and friction, I would give the students their choice of marbles along with a meter stick and a stop watch. The students could go around the room or the building testing various materials and surfaces. Once completed, the students would put this newfound knowledge to the test by playing a round of “marble golf.” I would set up a number of holes, obstacles, and “greenways” and the students would have to choose different materials for the marbles to roll across, thus determining the speed needed to reach the hole. Having never tried this, I am sure there will be some kinks to work out, but I think that the students would enjoy it.
The goal of the experiment is for children to understand how mass, velocity, and momentum all interact in order for movement to occur. Friction is an important factor in the equation. I hope that the students will be able to take the information in the experiment and apply it to things like driving on different surfaces or why you can slide in socks on hardwood. Maybe one student will be able to take the concept and create a car unaffected by friction!
TEACH Engineering: The Engineering Design Process: http://www.teachengineering.org/engrdesignprocess.php
Tillery B.W, Enger E.D., & Ross F.C. (2008). Integrated Science 4th edition. United States of America
Tiffany: I enjoyed your post. I really like the idea of the marble golf. I want to make sure I understand your hypothesis. When you said that you thought the surface area affects momentum, did you mean that something like hardwood has more surface area than something like cement? Thanks, Jill
ReplyDeleteTiffany, I loved reading your post. I had a difficult time figuring out a way to ensure that my marble was traveling at the same speed each time. I loved your idea that you used in your experiment.
ReplyDeleteTiffany, when I'm doing activities that require a stopwatch, I use the stop watch in my cell phone. I also allow my students to use their cell phone as well. Using a ramp to ensure that the same force is applied to the marble for each trial was a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI loved your idea of marble golf...ingenious! Thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteHello Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you were trying the experiment at home. I think that the experiment would be so much fun for students to try at home. I would think all you would need to supply is a marble. Students can be taught to count consistently by using the age old one one-thousand, two one-thousand and so on to use as a timer. Students have different materials at home they can roll their marble on. The height and length of the ramp and distance rolled can be counted using their feet and their fingers. Later, the distance can be converted using a meter stick. It could be a great Engineering design process lesson by giving the students a problem to figure out at home (TEACH Engineering: The Engineering Design Process). Homework lessons that can incorporate builiding communities.
Thanks, Adam
References
TEACH Engineering: The Engineering Design Process
http://www.teachengineering.org/engrdesignprocess.php