Week 2 - The E in STEM or Understanding Momentum

The question that I chose to investigate is “How does the steepness of a slope and mass affect a collision outcome?” In my experiment, I released a toy car with a quarter inserted inside down a ramp and measured the distance the quarter travelled after colliding with a barrier.  Then I repeated the same experiment with a dime and measured the distance the coin travelled after the collisions.  It was interesting that the dime travelled the farthest; I would have expected the quarter to have travelled the farthest.  But then I realized that like a real car accident, if you are not securely in your seat, then you will sustain the most injuries.  The quarter fit more securely in the car than the dime. 

The experiment was very successful; but I think that constructing the ramp and the collision barriers took a lot of effort.  I think that I will have to find materials that are easier to work with for my students. My students really enjoy working with toy cars and constructing the ramps, measuring, and charting the results are all activities that they would find engaging. 

This experiment is directly relevant to all students because it talks about seatbelt safety.  They can direcly relate the outcomes to their lives.