Teaching Constant Acceleration with PASCO probeware and equipment
Constant acceleration can be one of the trickiest concepts to
teach. While students are often quite comfortable thinking about objects that
change position at a constant rate, thinking about objects that change
velocity at a constant rate can often throw them for a loop--especially
when the object changes direction!
This is why we offer several solutions
for teaching this challenging concept. Students using our Dynamics Systems and
probeware to study constant acceleration will have a straightforward way of
seeing how different types of motion--constant velocity vs constant
acceleration--are related, and how they are different. And the use of these
systems will provide a testing environment where tests can be reliably repeated
under tightly controlled conditions. Our probeware systems also make it easy to
study the special case of constant acceleration that is free fall.
To
help students more internalize this concept even more strongly, our probeware
systems can be used with the students themselves acting as the moving objects as
they try to match graphs for different types of motion.
Teach constant acceleration in a variety of ways!
Inclined plane
Your students know about gravity and how it causes objects to roll down a sloped
surface. By using an inclined plane to study constant acceleration, you can tap
into their existing experience as an easy way to introduce them to the concept
of constant acceleration.
Level plane with suspended mass
Get your students thinking about what causes an object to accelerate while studying acceleration itself. A PASCO Dynamics Track assures a smooth and constant acceleration each time, giving repeatable and reliable results.
Level plane with Fan Cart
This activity provides another way to start students thinking about the causes of an object's acceleration. A Dynamics Cart with a Fan Accessory attached is placed on a level track, and its motion is studied using PASCO probeware.
Walking Student
Nothing helps students really "get" a concept like experience the phenomenon for themselves, and PASCO probeware provides a simple way to do this. Students walking back and forth in front of a Motion Detector develop a real understanding of constant acceleration when they have to move that way themselves.
Free Fall
Extend your students' study of constant acceleration by looking at the special case of free fall. They'll discover that falling objects move with a constant acceleration, too--and they'll be able to measure just what that acceleration is.
