Final Project

This project is very unique in that there is little guidance on what is required of us. We were first asked to determine our core values, which we determined to be "fun," with a secondary focus on education and safety. With that, we were asked to create a project that fulfilled those values and a rubric that we would be graded on.

My group chose to build a see-saw, both for entertainment and educational purposes. We created a system in which the seat on both sides could be moved to one of two spots to allow for heavier people to have less of an impact on the motion of the beam because of their smaller radius to the axle (see torque). We would allow people to have fun on the see-saw, and teach people who who are curious the physics principles that allow it to work the way it does.

Concepts

Torque

A measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis. When the force is applied at an angle perpendicular to the radius of the axle, torque can be modelled with the equation: Torque=Force*Radius

Rotational Inertia

A quantity that determines the torque needed for a desired angular acceleration about a rotational axis. It can be found with the equation: L=I/w

Fun

We have determined that a sense of danger is one of the leading causes of fun, but only if the danger does not become realized in a physical accident.

Reflection

I think I really improved my conscientious learning during this project. When we first came up with the concept of a see-saw, I envisioned a giant structure that might be able to bring people to a significant enough height to then use a zip line. However, upon beginning construction, I was able to manage my expectations to create something functional in the time available. Additionally I believe I really showcased my critical thinking skills in building the see-saw. We were working with pieces of wood that were much larger than I was used to, and I had to adapt my strategies several times to effectively work on it. In addition, when we did not have access to the dimensions of the see-saw at home, we had to think creatively to communicate the rules of physics that this project showcases.

While I did improve my conscientious learning in one aspect, my time management could use some work. We were so focused on completing the physical project in class that we could only work on the presentation at home. I also could work on improving cultural competence. The project we made was fun, but not only does it already exist and is most likely being mass produced, it does not have any practical applications in its current form. In addition, we have no plan to get it out to children that may want to use it, so our efforts in building it were largely pointless.