Student Exploration: Fan Cart Physics answer key
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Student Exploration: Fan Cart Physics – Answer Key with Explanation
Gizmo Warm-up Key Concepts:
- Newton’s Second Law – Acceleration depends on net force and mass.
- Force – A push or pull; net force changes an object’s motion.
- Acceleration – The rate at which velocity changes.
- Mass – The amount of matter in an object.
Key Gizmo Simulation Questions and Answers:
Activity A – Net Force and Acceleration
Q1. What do you notice about the motion of the fan cart with one fan turned on?
- Answer: The cart accelerates in the direction of the fan’s force.
Q2. How does adding more fans affect the motion?
- Answer: The acceleration increases with more fans because the total (net) force increases.
Q3. What happens when one fan is turned backward and one forward?
- Answer: The forces cancel each other; the cart does not accelerate.
Q4. What is the relationship between net force and acceleration?
- Answer: The greater the net force, the greater the acceleration. This shows Newton’s Second Law: F=maF = maF=ma where FFF is net force, mmm is mass, and aaa is acceleration.
Activity B – Mass and Acceleration
Q1. What happens to acceleration when you add more mass?
- Answer: Acceleration decreases.
Q2. What is the relationship between mass and acceleration?
- Answer: Acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. When mass increases and force is constant, acceleration decreases.
Detailed Explanation
The Fan Cart Physics simulation helps us understand the core ideas behind Newton’s Second Law of Motion. This law tells us that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. The simulation allows us to test different combinations of force and mass using a fan-powered cart.
When a single fan is turned on, it exerts a constant force on the cart. Because there is no opposing force, the cart starts to accelerate in the direction of the force. If we increase the number of fans pointing in the same direction, the net force increases, and we observe a greater acceleration. However, if one fan points forward and another backward, their forces cancel each other, leading to no acceleration—this is an example of balanced forces.
In the second activity, we examine how adding more mass affects motion. As mass increases, we find that the acceleration decreases, even if the force remains constant. This is because heavier objects require more force to achieve the same rate of acceleration. The inverse relationship between mass and acceleration is clear from the formula a=Fma = \frac{F}{m}a=mF.
In summary, the Fan Cart Physics Gizmo effectively demonstrates that the motion of an object depends on both the force applied and its mass. Understanding this relationship is essential for solving real-world problems in engineering, sports, and transportation where force and mass determine motion.
