Getting Leverage

Getting Leverage Background Students should be introduced to the concepts of forces, gravity, and mass. Teachers should have the same background plus an understanding of levers and the relationship between force and the distance from the fulcrum that the force is applied. Students will balance various masses on each side of a meterstick. These masses will be at different lengths along the meterstick. The students will then record each mass and it’s distance from the fulcrum. After all the data is collected, they will attempt to find a relationship between the mass and distance used on one side of the stick compared to the mass and distance used to balance it. Goal Students will use metersticks and masses as an adjustable balance to discover the relationship between forces and the distances they act from the fulcrum as compared to the resulting forces on the other side of the fulcrum. Thus developing an understanding of “leverage.” Materials (per group) Meterstick 3-4” long dowel stick or a pencil Several blocks (or books) 2 large paperclips Heavy wire (like tying wire) 2 mass hangers and sets of weights Time Required… One class period. 50 minutes in most cases, although enough material is included for longer class times. Closure Ask students to find a relationship between the masses and distances they used to balance the levers with. Record ideas. some set of conditions should be found that leads to an expression like: mass1 * distance1 = mass2 * distance2 Standards PS.1.3 PS.3.1 PS.3.4 PS.2.6 PS.3.2 NPO.2.2 Assessment Did I teach what I thought I taught…?? Get an understanding of which students understood the concepts during the class discussion. Review the class science journals and check to see if their responses were well thought out. Thanks to… NSF Professors at U of A Teachers Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!