A LEGO Introduction to Graphing
Students investigate projectile motionCopyright 2012 Ronald Poveda, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Students use a LEGO® ball shooter to demonstrate and analyze the motion of a projectile through use of a line graph. This activity involves using a method of data organization and trend observation with respect to dynamic experimentation with a complex machine. Also, the topic of line data graphing is covered. The main objective is to introduce students graphs in terms of observing and demonstrating their usefulness in scientific and engineering inquiries. During the activity, students point out trends in the data and the overall relationship that can be deduced from plotting data derived from test trials with the ball shooter.
Engineers look at the "big picture" when considering changes to machines, structures and processes. When it comes to complex machines, engineers examine time looking at every part to get an idea of how changes in power affect the speed at which a machine launches projectiles. However, it is possible to see how machines "behave" simply by graphing the speed "output" of the machine vs. its power "input" in order to get a good idea of how speed changes with power. In this way, engineers can get a better idea of how the machine works in the real world instead of relying solely on theoretical calculations, and without having to spend too much time looking at every machine part. Graphing is important for engineers to understand so that they can determine the relationship between two measured quantities—the "big picture." Graphing has been used for thousands of years, in a variety of forms; today, graphing remains beneficial to engineers in solving many day-to-day challenges that arise.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Organize and plot data on 2-D Cartesian coordinate grids.
- Make inferences about the relationship between the collected data parameters with respect to the plotted data.