Liberty Science Center 11th Grade:

Liberty Science Center 11^th Grade:

Physics Challenge: Designed an Energy Efficient Car

Grade Level: 11th grade Physics
Learning Standard: NYS MST Standards
Standard 4: Physical Setting
Standard 6: Interconnectedness
Standard 7: Interdisciplinary problem solving
Topics Covered by This Lesson:
The nature of energy.
Basic categories of energy.
forms of energy.
Laws of energy conservation.
Measuring energy.
Energy Alternative.
Fluid dynamics, types friction, gravity, inertia, momentum, and electromagnetism, and the Laws of Thermodynamic, and mechanical efficacy.
Pollution caused by energy consumption.
Pre- Visit:
Purpose: Student will be exposed to the different issue associated with energy consumption. They will use the knowledge acquired in the class and on the field trip to design a model a car that will travel a 100 feet suing
as little energy as possible. They will be exposed to alternative forms of energy and how energy use affects the environment.
Objective: Student will be able to…
1) Identify commonplace events where work is being performed and the form of energy being used.
2) Distinguished between potential and kinetic energy

1) Identify various types of energy and describe how they are transformed from one formed to another.
4) Explain how the Laws of Thermodynamic can be used to solve a future energy crisis.
5) Student will be able to calculate mechanical advantage and ideal mechanical advantage of simple machines.
6) Create a model that maximizes the use of energy
Materials required:
1) Permission slips for parent
2) Adequate chaperones to accommodate the number of student going on the trip.
3) Print out a copy of the challenge from http://lsc.org/school_resources/discovery_challenges/
4) Material for pre-visit activity (Air powered rocket boat): 1 long balloon, 2 jumbo during straws, masking tape, thin twine, lunch tray and a large container of water. (Optional) Contact Ford Motor Company at www.Ford.com for a video and information on their energy efficient prototype car.
Student Learning Prerequisites:
Student should be familiar with laws of thermodynamic and their relationship to energy use.
Student should be able to calculate velocity, acceleration ,momentum, work of an object experiencing linear motion as well as other basic kinematic concepts and calculations. Student must have fundamental understanding of Aerodynamic and friction and how these factors affect the efficacy of a machine.
Visit:
Student along with a chaperone will visit the exhibits that are described in the challenge
Post- Visit:
Students will build a model of their energy efficient car. The car must be fast and cheap in material and the consumption of energy. Their cars cannot use gasoline of other flammable chemical. Encourage student to use a simple mother, wind or solar panels as their source of energy.

Possible questions:
1) What will happen when we run out of fossil fuels?
2) Is cold fusion possible ?
3) What other challenges available at LSC.org?

MSTEP Webmaster | NYU home page | School of Education | School of Education Webmaster