Putting Robots to Work with Force & Friction
Students learn about the concept of pushing, as well as the relationship between force and mass. Students practice measurement skills using pan scales and rulers to make predictions about mass and distance. A LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robot is used to test their hypotheses. By the end of the activity, students have a better understanding of robotics, mass and friction and the concept of predicting.
An EV3 robot
The science concepts of force, friction and mass, as well as measurement skills of all types are all pervasively used for doing engineering. For example, engineers must thoroughly understand the interplay of force, friction and mass for all their designs that involve moving objects—from school buses, to bicycle gears, to sliding doors, to roller coasters. And engineers must always be accurate and precise in their measurements so that research is valid and products function as intended.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Determine the mass of sand in a bottle.
- Explain the concept of pushing.
- Describe the concept of mass and how it relates to force.
- Explain the idea that friction slows the motion of objects.
- Predict outcomes based on measurements.