Lesson 1: Simple Harmonic Motion and Oscillators
Duration of Days: 3
Lesson Objective
Model the motion of a pendulum and a mass on a spring to determine how mass, length, and spring constants affect the period of an oscillator, tracking the conservation of mechanical energy.
What keeps an object repeating the exact same motion back and forth indefinitely?
At what point in a swing does a pendulum have the maximum velocity, and where does it experience the greatest force?
Why does changing the mass on a pendulum have zero effect on its speed, while changing the mass on a spring changes everything?
Simple Harmonic Motion
Period
Frequency
Hertz
Amplitude
Restoring Force
HS-PS3-2: Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles and energy associated with the relative position of particles. (Applied to oscillating systems).
To establish the source of all waves: periodic oscillations. Students learn how forces act to restore equilibrium and how energy constantly shifts between kinetic and potential forms.
How grandfather clocks and car shock absorbers work: A grandfather clock relies on the strict, unchanging period of a pendulum to keep precise time. Conversely, your car's suspension uses heavy-duty springs to absorb bumps, paired with shock absorbers (dampers) designed to stop the springs from undergoing continuous simple harmonic motion so your car doesn't bounce down the highway forever.
MPS Science Differentiation Strategies
https://tinyurl.com/5n6c24k7
Unit 6 Assessment