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Wrecking Ball Lab Activity
(continued)
7. Hot glue the wood blocks together, as shown in the picture.
8. Measure the width edge of the ring stand to the opposite
edge of the ring stand (about 11 cm).
9. Hot glue the transparent ruler to the cardboard base.
- Make sure transparent ruler edge is even with edge on non-inserted side.
- Repeat this step for the other ring stand.
10. Hot glue other ruler to the wooden blocks, as shown.
- Special note put wooden blocks against the transparent ruler
edge and then hot glue ruler to the wooden blocks,
- This will allow the block with upright ruler to slide.
11. Draw a small tick mark in the center of the ruler.
- This will act as a pointer on the ruler.
12. Tie one mass wrecking ball to ring stand and the other mass wrecking ball to the other ring stand.
Lab Step-by-Step Procedure:
1. Explain to students the overview of the lab.
2. Students will make predictions/hypothesis about which wrecking ball will knock
the water bottle over from a height of 12 cm (with taut string),
- Be sure to ask students to explain why they predict this.
- This prediction will need to be written in the hypothesis section in this lab.
3. Use upright slide ruler to measure height of the 266 gram wrecking ball and the distance the wrecking ball will travel.
4. Use the table to record your data.
5. Measure the following linear points and record the corresponding height for each point: 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, and 12 cm.
- Use the table to record your data.
- For each drop use caution to not push the wrecking ball, merely drop and release the ball.
- One partner will release the ball, the other will start timer when the wrecking
ball is released and stop when it strikes the water bottle.
- Record your time in the data table.
6. Using the information from the data table:
- Calculate the speed/velocity for each drop.
- Be sure to convert the distance measurements to meter.
7. Repeat steps 2–5 for the 67 gram wrecking ball. Record data on Table 2.
8. Discuss the results as a class. Comparing predictions to results.
9. Students will retest using the 67 gram wrecking ball only.
- Moving it back incrementally until a desired result is achieved.
- Data will be recorded on Table 3.
Wrecking Ball Build Step-by-Step Procedure: (continued)
