Physci text 18

Laboratory prompts

01 Density of soap

• Is there a linear relationship between the volume and mass for a material such as soap?

• What is density?

• What brand of soap is being measured?

• What is the density of soap?

• Based on the density, will soap float or sink in water?

02 Linear velocity

• Is there a linear relationship between the time and distance?

• What is velocity?

• How is the slope changed by increasing velocity?

• What were the three velocities including the units?

03 Acceleration of Gravity

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the time and distance for a constant acceleration?

• What is acceleration?

• What is the experimentally measured value for the acceleration of gravity?

• What is the mathematical difference between the experimentally measured value for the acceleration of gravity and the published value?

04 Conservation of energy

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the height and velocity?

• What is gravitational potential energy?

• What is kinetic energy?

• Does the shape of the best fit line through your data agree with the prediction made by the theory?

• What was the mathematical equation that best fit to the data?

05 Friction

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the variable you investigated and the force of friction?

• What is friction?

• Does the variable you tested have an effect on the force of friction?

• If there is an effect, is the effect a small effect or large effect?

• If there is an effect, does the effect appear to be linear or non-linear?

06 Cooling curve

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between time and temperature for cooling of a liquid?

• What is temperature?

• What is the equation for cooling?

• Does the equation predict a final temperature?

• How is cooling related to temperature difference above room temperature?

07 Latitude and longitude

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between arcminutes and meters?

• What are arcminutes, latitude, and longitude?

• How many meters per arcminute latitude (or longitude)?

• What is the conversion factor from metric meters to minutes of arc?

• Given that most GPS units can measure a difference no smaller than 0.001 arcminutes, what is the distance in meters for 0.001 arcminutes?

• How close to a location can the GPS unit put a person?

076 Rocks and minerals 

• What are the three basic types of rocks?

• What is rock hardness?

• What is rock luster?

• What is rock breakage?

• What is rock color streak?

• Can you identify your rock?

08 Clouds

• What are the different types of clouds?

• How good are you at observing nature?

• Can you produce a scientifically accurate drawing of a cloud?

09 Speed of sound

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between time and distance for sound?

• What is sound?

• What is the speed of sound?

• If the measurement is done outside, does the speed of sound appear to change with increasing distance?

• What is the mathematical difference between the experimentally measured value for the speed of sound and the published value?

10 Colors of light

• What are the primary colors of light? 

• What are the secondary colors of light? 

• How is color specified by monitors, cell phone screens, lap top computer screens, and televisions using RGB values? 

• How is color specified by science using HSV values? 

• How is color characterized by people using color names?

11 Reflection and refraction

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the image distance and the object distance for a mirror?

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the image depth and the object depth for an object underwater?

• What is reflection?

• What is refraction?

• What is the index of reflection for a plane mirror?

• What is the index of refraction for water?

• What is the mathematical difference between the experimentally measured value for the index of refraction of water and the published value?

12 Ohms law

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between current and voltage?

• What is current, voltage, and resistance?

• What was the experimentally measured resistance of the circuit?

• What is the mathematical difference between the experimentally measured value for the resistance and the value set on the decade resistance box?

13 Floral litmus solutions

• Can a floral litmus solution be found that will detect acids and bases by a change in hue angle (color)?

• Are substances found in the home acids, bases, or neutrals?

• Are there patterns in the changes in hue for certain types of substances?

14 Hula hoop orbital period

• What is the nature of the mathematical relationship between the hoop diameter and hoop period?

• What is the equation that relates hoop diameter to the hoop period?

• Do larger hoops have longer periods?

15 Site swap mathematics

• Can mathematics be comprehended when taught purely abstractly?

• Are there forms of mathematics beyond what is taught in school?

• Has the course impacted confidence in ability to do and understand math and science?

• Has the course shifted attitudes towards mathematics and science?