Experiment for middle school with Uniform Acceleration

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on creating a middle school experiment to demonstrate Uniform Acceleration, specifically through the use of Galileo's Inclined Plane experiment. The Inclined Plane effectively illustrates how gravity affects acceleration while allowing for controlled variables. Participants expressed concerns about the complexity of other methods, such as catapults, which were deemed too complicated for students to replicate. The inclined plane offers a straightforward and educational approach to understanding these fundamental physics concepts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, particularly acceleration and gravity.
  • Familiarity with experimental design and setup for educational purposes.
  • Knowledge of Galileo's contributions to physics, especially the Inclined Plane.
  • Ability to work with simple materials to construct experiments.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of Galileo's Inclined Plane experiment and its historical significance.
  • Explore methods for measuring acceleration and velocity in a controlled environment.
  • Investigate alternative experiments that demonstrate Uniform Acceleration, such as free-fall or projectile motion.
  • Learn about the physics of parabolic motion and its applications in real-world scenarios.
USEFUL FOR

Middle school science teachers, educators developing physics curriculum, and anyone interested in engaging students with hands-on experiments in physics.

Alexi
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1. I must present an experiment for middleschool children about Uniform Acceleration or paraboles to teach them how it works.


I've tried some stuff but maybe to complicated to fabricate or reproduce, for example, I wanted to do a catapult that made a small parabole and predict where it would fall or how high would it reach but the only catapult guides were overly complicated.

Help really appreciated.
 
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Welcome to PF!

Hi Alexi! Welcome to PF! :smile:

How about good ol' Galileo's Inclined Plane experiment?

(google it! :wink:)
 
Thanks! Let me talk to my partners about this but definitely a good idea.

But I guess the surface must be as smooth as it can be (in the inclined plane that proves that acceleration of gravity is the same but can be slowed down by the inclination).
 

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