Explore a simple spring simulation to see how springs behave, given different characteristics. Students change the springiness (spring constant), the resistance, and the amount of push or pull.
Learning goals:
Represent and interpret data on a line graph.
Compare/contrast how different types of springs behave.
Describe how a push or pull of a spring affects its motion and position over time.
Identify and describe other examples that oscillate in a similar fashion as a spring.
Student Challenge:
Design a spring that behaves differently than the examples. Tell the story of how the spring's motion changes over time.
Curricular Connections:
An object's motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time.
The position and motion of objects can be changed by pushing or pulling. The size of the change is related to the strength of the push or pull.
