In this unit we started off by learning about Inertia and Newton's First Law of Motion. Newton's First Law states, "an object in motion or an object at rest will stay in motion or at rest until acted upon by an outside force". An example that I always think of when I hear that law is the famous trick of puling a table cloth from out from under a set table.
Inertia means nothing in the universe will move on its own.Inertia is not a force. Have you ever wondered why when you shake a bottle of ketchup and then stop the ketchup comes out? When you are shaking the bottle and bring the bottom down and suddenly stop it inertia is happening. It is what causes the ketchup to come out of the bottle.
We then moved on to learning about net force and equilibrium. Net force is the overall force acting upon an object. To calculate the net force you add the amount of each force acting on the object together. Force is measured in a unit called a newton. Whenever an object has a net force of zero it is at equilibrium.
If 18 newtons of force are applied to the left and -20 newtons of force applied to the right, and you add the two, the net force will equal -2 newtons. The object is not at equilibrium.Moving on we then explored velocity. Velocity is the measurement of a specific amount of distance traveled in a specific amount of time. The absolute value of velocity is called "speed". The change in velocity occurs when an object changes direction by either speeding up, slowing down, or turning. The formula used to find velocity is v=at. We measure velocity in units meters per second.
Constant Velocity is when an object travels for the same distance at the same time. An object can not change direction or be accelerating when it is at constant velocity. There are two equation we use when dealing with constant velocity. When trying to calculate how fast an object is going we use v=d/t. To calculate how far an object has gone we use d=vt.
How far did a car go that traveled at a constant speed of 300 meters per second north for 60 seconds?
Since we know the speed is at constant velocity and the question is asking how we know to use d=vt.
d=? v=300 m/s t=60 seconds
d=300(60)
d=18000 meters The car traveled 18000 meters at a speed of 300 m/s for 60 seconds.
Following velocity we talked about acceleration. Acceleration is the increase or decrease in the rate of an object. Acceleration=the change in velocity/time interval. a=change in v/t. The change in velocity is found by finding the difference in the initial velocity and the end velocity. Acceleration is speeding up, slowing down, and changing direction, all of which change velocity. Constant acceleration means an object is constantly changing velocity. There are also two equations we use for constant acceleration.
When we are calculating how fast an object is going at constant acceleration we use v=at.
When calculating how far an object has gone during constant acceleration we use d=1/2at.
The final subject we touched on taught me how to use a graph. Y=mx+b is the equation for a straight line.
y=mx
Distance=y
Time=x
d=vt
m=v
distance=velocity(time)
When graphing constant acceleration you need a moving trend line rather than a linear because the slope is changing as the time increases.
In your summary, I found it very helpful how you separated out the equations. So, when someone wants to return to them, they are easy to find. I also enjoyed how you included some pictures and videos. It all made me want to know more about Newton's first law! Your explanation made me want to learn more about how one can see examples of the law in daily life. However, I believe I was left to wonder a little too much. You did present a great example, but did not fully explain it. For a reader with no previous knowledge on the concept, they may get confused. Secondly, there are some sections where you define and give the formula for a concept, but do not give an example of it. The first area I noticed this was when you explain equilibrium and net force. You do explain equilibrium very well, but what about when it is not at equilibrium. This is visible in a few other sections, so I would take some time to review your post. Next, I noticed there are some missing parts in your post. Some of the missing parts are explaining mass, comparing constant acceleration and constant velocity, the acceleration of a falling object. I would suggest going back over our previous worksheets, quizzes, and labs. Now, there are some parts where you have the formula, but not explain what every letter stand for. You do explain later, but I think it would be less confusing to state it earlier. Lastly, Consider adding titles to each sections, so when you want to return to it in the future, you can easily find the section you are searching for. Overall, you had the formula's and most of the definitions. I enjoyed your unique wording throughout the blog. I look forward to reading the rest of your posts in the future!
ReplyDelete