Energy, matter, and their interaction
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Inclined Plane - Sliding Objects
Investigate the energy and motion of a block sliding down an inclined plane, with or without friction. The ramp angle can be varied and … a variety of materials for the block and ramp can be used. Potential and kinetic energy are reported as the block slides down the ramp. Two experiments can be run simultaneously to compare results as factors are varied.
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Inclined Plane - Rolling Objects
Observe and compare objects of different shapes as they roll or slide down an inclined plane. Compare the percentages of translational … and rotational kinetic energy for each object, and see how this affects how quickly each object moves. The slope of each ramp can be adjusted, and a variety of materials can be used for the objects and ramp.
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Inclined Plane - Simple Machine
Investigate how an inclined plane redirects and reduces the force pulling a brick downward, with or without friction. A toy car can apply … a variable upward force on the brick, and the mechanical advantage and efficiency of the plane can be determined. A graph of force versus distance illustrates the concept of work.
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Moment of Inertia
Place masses on a circular table and see how fast it spins when struck by a piston. Discover the relationships between angular velocity, … mass, radius and moment of inertia for collections of point-masses, rings, disks, and more complex shapes.
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Pulley Lab
Use a pulley system to lift a heavy weight to a certain height. Measure the force required to lift the weight using up to three fixed … and three movable pulleys. The weight to be lifted and the efficiency of the pulley system can be adjusted, and the height of the weight and the total input distance are reported.
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Potential Energy on Shelves
Compare the potential energy of several objects when you place them on shelves of different heights. Learn that two objects at … different heights can have the same potential energy, while two objects at the same height can have different potential energy.
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Energy of a Pendulum
Perform experiments with a pendulum to gain an understanding of energy conservation in simple harmonic motion. The gravity, length and mass … of the pendulum can be adjusted, as well as the initial starting angle of the pendulum. Data (tables, bar chart, and graphs) of the potential and kinetic energies are shown as the pendulum oscillates.
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Energy Conversion in a System
Allow a falling object to stir a beaker of water using a pulley system. The mass and height of the object, and the quantity of water can … be adjusted. The temperature of the water is measured as energy is being converted from one form to another.
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Heat Transfer by Conduction
An insulated beaker of hot water is connected to a beaker of cold water with a conducting bar, and over time the temperature of the … beakers becomes equal as heat flows through the conducting bar. The material of the conducting bar can be changed, and the temperature of each beaker is dynamically shown in various formats.
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Calorimetry Lab
Investigate how calorimetry can be used to find relative specific heat values when different substances are mixed with water. Modify … initial mass and temperature values to see effects on the system. One or any combination of the substances can be mixed with water. A dynamic graph (temperature vs. time) shows temperatures of the individual substances after mixing.
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Roller Coaster Physics
Adjust the hills on a toy-car roller coaster and watch what happens as the car careens toward an egg (that can be broken) at the end of … the track. The heights of three hills can be manipulated, along with the mass of the car and the friction of the track. A graph of various variables of motion can be viewed as the car travels, including potential, kinetic, and total energies, and the x- and y- components of position, velocity, and acceleration.
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Temperature and Particle Motion
Observe the movement of particles of an ideal gas at a variety of temperatures. A histogram showing the Maxwell-Boltzmann … velocity distribution is shown, and the most probable velocity, mean velocity, and root mean square velocity can be calculated. Molecules of different gases can be compared.
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Phase Changes
Explore the relationship between molecular motion, temperature, and phase changes. Compare the molecular structure of solids, liquids, … and gases. Graph temperature changes as ice is melted and water is boiled. Find the effect of altitude on phase changes. The starting temperature, ice volume, altitude, and rate of heating or cooling can be adjusted.
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Boyle's Law and Charles' Law
Investigate the properties of an ideal gas by performing experiments in which the temperature is held constant (Boyle's Law), and others … in which the pressure remains fixed (Charles' Law). The pressure is controlled through the placement of masses on the lid of the container, and temperature is controlled with an adjustable heat source.
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Half-life
Investigate the decay of a radioactive substance. The half-life and the number of radioactive atoms can be adjusted, and theoretical or … random decay can be observed. Data can be interpreted visually using a dynamic graph, a bar chart, and a table. Determine the half-lives of two sample isotopes as well as samples with randomly generated half-lives.
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Nuclear Decay
Observe the five main types of nuclear decay: alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay, positron emission, and electron capture. Write … nuclear equations by determining the mass number and atomic number of daughter products and emitted particles.
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Bohr Model: Introduction
Fire photons to determine the spectrum of a gas. Observe how an absorbed photon changes the orbit of an electron, and how a photon is … emitted from an excited electron. Calculate the energies of absorbed and emitted photons based on energy level diagrams. The light energy produced by the laser can be modulated, and a lamp can be used to view the entire absorption spectrum at once.
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Bohr Model of Hydrogen
Shoot a stream of photons through a container of hydrogen gas. Observe how photons of certain energies are absorbed, causing changes in … the orbits of electrons. Build the spectrum of hydrogen based on photons that are absorbed and emitted.
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Photoelectric Effect
Shoot a beam of light at a metal plate in a virtual lab and observe the effect on surface electrons. The type of metal as well as … the frequency and intensity of the light can be adjusted. An electric field can be created to resist the electrons and measure their initial energies.
