Physics of Skateboarding
The Physics of Skateboarding
Purpose:
For students to observe/learn skateboard tricks and relate those movements to the following Physics Concepts: Newton's 3 laws, gravity, momentum, trajectory projectiles, circular motion, and friction (four types: rolling, sliding, static and air resistance). Students will use hyperlinks to learn about Physic Concepts and skateboard tricks. These hyperlinks are colored purple and underlined. They contain text, pictures and video clips. You need to have QuickTime. If you have a phone modem for your internet connection, you will need patience when looking at the pictures or video.
(This will take about 15 seconds with a fast connection and about 3 to 4 minutes with a dial-up connection.) This lesson is based on material from the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.
Created by: Ken Workman
Capistrano Unified
Your first stop is Physics hyperlinks / Resources.
Resources needed for task 1:
Newton's 1st, 2nd and 3rd Laws
Gravity
Momentum
Trajectory
Circular motion
Friction
Your First Task #1:
You need to define or explain in your own words on your own paper the following 11 Physics Concepts.
1) Newton's 1st law
2) Newton's 2nd law
3) Newton's 3rd law
4) Gravity
5) Momentum
6) Circular Motion
7) Trajectory
8) Rolling Friction
9) Sliding Friction
10) Static Friction
11) Air Resistance Friction
Your second stop is Skateboarding hyperlinks
Resources/hyperlinks needed for task 2:
Skateboard information
T.Hawk-1/2pipeair
T.Hawk-1/2pipedropin
T.Hawk-1/4pipeMcTwist
T.Hawk-1/2pipe video clips
Hockey-skating
Hockey-shooting
Your Second Task # 2
You are going to use the above skateboarding hyperlinks to learn and see skateboard tricks through text, pictures and video.
Next, you have to explain how the skateboard tricks relate to Physics Concepts.
You have to do three skateboard trick explanations per Physics Concept. You will use the following format below.
Below is an example, a picture/example is worth a thousand words.
A Few Internet Resources:
Sheppard's Science Resources
Sheppard's Useful Links
Email: kworkman57@hotmail.com
Created August 10, 1999
Last Revised August 9, 2000
Teacher Notes
Suggested Grade Level: 9th
Science Content Standards:
S.C.O.R.E. Lessons Standards Search by Grade and Subject
S.C.O.R.E. Standards and Framework
California Content Standards Grades K-12
California Content Standards Grades K-12 - Science -PDF Format
Science-Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12-Physical Sciences
1b When forces are balanced no acceleration occurs, and thus an object continues to move at a constant speed or stays at rest (Newton's First Law).
Science-Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12-Physical Sciences
1c How to apply the law F=ma to solve one-dimensional motion problems involving constant forces (Newton's Second Law).
Science-Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12-Physical Sciences
1d When one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object always exerts a force of equal magnitude and opposite direction. (Newton’s Third Law).
Background:
An understanding of Newton's Laws is necessary to complete this lesson.
This lesson is based on material from the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.
Skills:
Interpreting data, making inferences, making inferences, forming hypotheses, making predictions, graphing
Presentations -PowerPoint or Hyperstudio
Computer literacy
Effective use of Internet resources
Assessment:
Presentations -PowerPoint or Hyperstudio, Student created web page, worksheet, peer evaluation, rubric
Enrichment:
Presentations -PowerPoint or Hyperstudio, Student created web page.