Inquiry Physics Objectives

Links:

Content Standard III (State PASS Standard 1):
Forces and Motion

Topic:

2. Speed and acceleration
   State: The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed.
   Local: The rate of displacement change is speed, and the rate of speed change is acceleration.

Time Range:
16 weeks for Standard III

Suggested Teaching Strategies:

• Have students collect data on an object undergoing constant acceleration, and plot distance vs. time and later speed vs. time graphs of the motion. A computer can help with the graphing and forming best-fit lines and curves, and you can relate the graphs to the one-dimensional motion equations. (See Core Lab 1.)
• Help students associate the slope of the d vs. t and v vs. t graphs with their physical meanings. (See Worksheet B below.)
• After inventing the two basic equations for average speed and the equation for acceleration, have the students use algebra to invent the remaining equations. (See Worksheet C below.)

Aligned Resources:

• Core Lab 1: One-Dimensional Motion (construct and interpret parabolic d vs. t and linear v vs. t graph)
  Inquiry Physics Investigation 1 - Lab
• Inquiry Physics Investigation 1 - Motion:
  • Worksheet A (problems)
  • Worksheet B: Interpreting Motion Graphs
  • Worksheet C: Combining the Variables of Motion
  • Worksheet D: 1-Dimensional Motion Problems

Revision Date:
December 2002