April 15

Inclined Planes, Friction and Centripetal Force

Centripetal force holds an object in a circular path. After looking at various ways we use centripetal force, I demonstrated how this force works by swinging a tray, with water glasses on it, around my head. Click here for more information. I didn’t spill a drop!


Why is it so hard to pull these books apart? Friction is at work! Click here to learn more.

Then I placed a student in a chair and swung them around. When they outstretched their arms and legs, their speed decreased, but when they brought their hands and legs back in, their speed increased. Why? Click here for an explanation. How does this apply to figure skaters and the speed of the spinner on our playground?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, second grade physicists worked with levers, but this lab focused on inclined planes and friction. An inclined plane, one of the six simple machines, is a flat surface with one end higher than the other used to help raise or lower a load. We changed the materials on the inclined planes and investigated how the various materials impacted the speed of the cars and the distance they traveled.




Posted April 15, 2019 by pbright2 in category Science

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