Lessons
Mini Golf Physics
Imagine going to a mini golf course, but where you can use golf balls of lead or aluminum, or try a course made of velvet or glass. Try different courses where you con explore principles of kinematics in physics, like exploring the effects of a force on different masses and the corresponding acceleration. Try other courses to observe the effects of contact and non-contact forces on the ball as you try to get it into the hole with as few strokes as possible.
Grade 6 - (7) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows the nature of forces and their role in systems that experience stability or change
Grade 7 - (7) Force, motion, and energy. The student describes the cause-and-effect relationship between force and motion
Physics - (5) Science concepts. The student knows and applies the laws governing motion in a variety of situations
Curricular Connections
Grade 4 - (7) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows the nature of forces and the patterns of their interactions. The student is expected to plan and conduct descriptive investigations to explore the patterns of forces such as gravity, friction, or magnetism in contact or at a distance on an object.Grade 6 - (7) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows the nature of forces and their role in systems that experience stability or change
Grade 7 - (7) Force, motion, and energy. The student describes the cause-and-effect relationship between force and motion
Physics - (5) Science concepts. The student knows and applies the laws governing motion in a variety of situations
Skills
Critical Thinking
Observation
Participation
Physical Manipulation
Activities
Effects of Friction
Observe the effects of different materials and the friction they apply to a rolling ball
| Objective | Description |
|---|---|
| Observing Effects of Friction | Students will observe the effects of different surfaces and their coefficients of friction on the movement of an object. |
Newton's Second Law
Use golf balls of different masses to observe the effects of applied forces
| Objective | Description |
|---|---|
| Relating Mass and Forces | Students will observe and recognize the application of Newton's second law and how acceleration (and velocity) relate to an object's mass and the applied force. |
Ramps and Energy
Observe the changes in mechanical energy (kinetic and potential) as a ball rolls up and down ramps on its way to the hole.
| Objective | Description |
|---|---|
| Relating Kinetic and Potential Energy | Students will observe the changes in kinetic and potential energy as a ball rolls up and down ramps. |