Work and Energy
How is the work done on a system related to its change in energy? How is the efficiency of a system calculated? Have you ever pulled a swing back and let...
Springs and the Conservation of Energy
Can energy conservation be used to predict the behavior of a system? A system consisting of a cart...
Work Done by Friction
The work done by friction reduces the amount of energy available for transformation into other forms.
Crash Barrier
Construct a crash barrier designed to minimize the impact force experienced by a cart in a collision.
Conservation of Momentum
The law of conservation of momentum is a powerful generalization of Newton’s third law. For an isolated system, the total momentum of all the objects...
Inelastic Collisions
In this investigation you will explore how the total kinetic energy and momentum of a closed system involving two carts is affected by a perfectly inelastic...
Elastic Collisions
How can we predict the outcome of an elastic collision? A collision between two carts is nearly elastic, but not completely. In this experiment, you will...
Levers
What is the relationship between the output force and the input force? How do we design a lever to have a mechanical advantage?
Pulleys
How can ropes and pulleys create mechanical advantage? How does a block and tackle machine work?
Ramps and Inclined Planes
How does a ramp change the force required to move an object uphill? When the Egyptians built their massive pyramids, they faced the engineering challenge...
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