Dive Right in to Algebra and Physics

Pat Rhodes (Mathmatics)
prhodes@tvcc.cc
Rick Reynolds (Mathmatics)
rreynolds@tvcc.cc
Treasure Valley Community College

Labs and/or Demos


  1. Measurement – length, mass, time, area, volume. Use non standard objects to measure and do conversion process



  1. Graph matching – linear (uniform) motion with constant velocity (slope) - distance time graphs



  1. Ball toss – parabolic (uniformly accelerating) motion for examining distance – time and velocity – time graphs



  1. Other motions – oscillating pendulum, cart up/down incline, student jumping in air, mass oscillatating at the end of a spring, revisit ball toss too.



  1. Picket Fence Freefall - Reaction time calculation using



  1. Bungee jump acceleration – compare to actual data



  1. Newton’s 2nd Law using dynamics cart, force sensor, and accelerometers



  1. Newton’s 3rd Law using force sensors



  1. Effects of air resistance using coffee filters



  1. Energy of a tossed ball



  1. Momentum, energy and collisions using dynamics carts and ball bouncing