Hovercraft Mayhem

Although I was unable to participate in the hovercraft ride I was surprised by the reaction that it had on my class mates. When the hovercraft was first displayed I found it hard to believe that a leaf blower, a piece of wood, and some plastic was going to prove how newton’s first law of motion works. I was surprised by the amount of noise the hovercraft emitted but was also surprised to see the hover craft work! The hovercraft really allows you to experience newton’s first law of motion first hand. Newton’s first law of motion is that ‘every object continues in a state of rest or uniform speed in a straight line unless acted on by a nonzero net force’. The hovercraft echoed this theory since it neutralized friction by hovering above the ground. This allowed the hovercraft to stay in uniform speed. The hovercraft will neither accelerate in a positive or negative direction without an outside force being added on the hovercraft. This is much different than items such as sleds, or skateboards. During this experiment I learned that when the hovercraft was in motion there was a net force of zero. I also learned that at this stage the hovercraft is in a state of equilibrium. When the hovercraft is pushed into motion by another force, it accelerates and has a net force acting on the hovercraft. This also means that the hovercraft is not in equilibrium until the force is not pushing the hovercraft. Acceleration depends on a force acting on the object. During the lab it became apparent that some individuals were harder to stop than other members. This is due to their mass. An individual with more mass will be more difficult to set into motion that an individual has a smaller mass. It was easier to put a student with a smaller mass into motion than a student with a larger mass.

Inertia and Mass!! Great Website

That wasn't too bad! Learning about inertia was a little difficult however the worksheet seemed to be impossible to understand. After going on the website bellow I was able to fully understand Newton's First Law of Motion and Inertia! The website explains that it is not normal for objects, once moved, to stop and return to its natural rest. The website allowed me to explore this idea. I think of the theory as one rolling a ball on a flat plain. The ball will stop moving because it is experiencing friction however if we did the same experiment where friction was absent than the ball would constantly move. I also learned that if an object has more mass, it also has more inertia since it is more resistant to change its state of motion. The website also offers some fun, interactive questions at the end to further develop the concept of inertia. Click on the link to learn more about inertia!! http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/u2l1b.cfm

Day 1 (intro to Physics)

Stepping into the class room I was reminded of my past experiences with Physics. In Bermuda I enrolled in a Physics Higher Level course for the IB program. Although I did not have a 'fun' time with physics in Bermuda, I enjoyed understanding different theories. During my studies in Bermuda I learned about simple harmonic motion, projectile motion and the properties of work and power. I was exposed to this material on a standard level and on a higher level. Some information became difficult to understand due to missing variables. Projectile motion proved to be very challenging to comprehend. I also learned about all of newton’s laws and linear momentum. I have a basic idea about waves, and wavelengths.  I am interested in what causes the oceans tides. Although I am aware that the moon influences the oceans tide I do not understand Einstein’s theory of relativity and space. I am interested to learn certain theories such as Einstein’s theory of relativity. I briefly studied light and prisms in Bermuda however I am best with Specific heat and waves/wavelength. I am also excited to learn about how our position can alter our velocity eg: an ice skater spinning. I am interested in pursuing a career in the aviation field which involves a large amount of physics. I hope to become a pilot, either for the military or public. I plan on studying aeronautical engineering and aviation in the field of physics.  Although I have had some difficult experiences with physics I am looking forward to this year of physics in Asheville!