One of the biggest things that impacted me was the pendulum experiment because it was hands on, active, and fun! Having a huge string swing thing hanging in the classroom was definitely the right way to get us motivated on the first day. Beyond that, the experiment really taught me something and genuinely surprised me! When discussing the different quantitative measurements and observations we could explore, I hypothesized that the mass of the weight on the pendulum would have a direct relationship with the period.
I chose the two pictures below because they properly illustrate this idea. If you saw an elephant on a swing, you might thing that it would swing for a much longer time than a hamster on a swing under the same circumstances of being released at the same angle and being on a pendulum of equal length. But the reality is, it would have little to no effect on the period at all! Although the masses are different, mass and weight are two different things, and mass has no affect on gravitational acceleration - which is based on weight. The links below are the sources of the pictures.
I like how you used the pictures to give us a better example of what you were trying to convey. It made what I was thinking, that much clearer. :)
ReplyDeleteI really like this example! It's a very clear image of what we learned and I really like that you made a comment about how this was a great way to start class! The experiment was both fun and engaging and was a great way to get us to SEE why things happen. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! I personally am a very visual learner so I'm happy to see that others are too and can relate to my way of understanding. You truly are the coolest of cats!
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