I coming up with an idea for my UP1 paper

[supahtofu]

I have to write a ten page paper on a subject relating to things we have learned in University Physics 1. I'm having a really hard time coming up with something though. It's due Monday and I'm starting to get really stressed about this. Any ideas? (must be related to gravity, energy, and kinematics)

 

[Delphi51]

How about something on energy efficient driving habits? Figure out how much fuel you save by doing things like taking your foot off the accelerator when you see the flashing lights warning that the traffic light will turn red before you get there. Slowing down to go over a hill. A practical calculation of a coefficient of total friction for a car coasting to a stop would be interesting.

Maybe you could investigate the theory that a big truck and a small car have the same stopping distance on ice, under certain conditions.

A police accident investigator might give you some measurements of an accident from which you could calculate the initial speeds involved.

 

[Astronuc]

Is there anymore guidance other than the subject must be related to a topic studied in the course? Does the paper/essay require some historic review?

Does the paper require some calculations or equations?

Perhaps some ideas may appear from browsing Hyperphysics.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html


What could one write about gravity? Think about getting to orbit. How much energy would that take?

How far could one travel in a car with the amount of energy used to get to orbit?

 

[supahtofu]

The paper needs to be an informational paper, not really containing calculations, maybe some equations though. For instance, one of my classmates is doing a paper on thrust generated by motors.

 

[supahtofu]

I still haven't started yet, I have really bad writer's block right now...

 

[turbo]

I still haven't started yet, I have really bad writer's block right now...

Just start writing, and be prepared to revise/toss some work. I used to agonize about some papers, thinking that I had to have fully-fledged ideas before I could start writing. That's not the way things worked out (at least for me). If I started writing, I'd generally get some "aha" moments, and often would end up with papers that were very different than I had imagined in the beginning.

Nowadays, you can write using your computer. 40 years ago, it was pencil and paper, transcribed to a typewritten final submission. A bit more restrictive.