Android Acceleration
Collecting acceleration data using an Android device.Copyright 2012 Scott Burns, University of Nebraska
Students prepare for the associated activity in which they investigate acceleration by collecting acceleration vs. time data using the accelerometer of a sliding Android device. Based on the experimental set-up for the activity, students form hypotheses about the acceleration of the device. Students will investigate how the force on the device changes according to Newton's Second Law. Different types of acceleration, including average, instantaneous and constant acceleration, are introduced. Acceleration and force is described mathematically and in terms of processes and applications.
In this lesson, students review the topic of acceleration to prepare for an experiment in which they gather acceleration data using a mobile application. In engineering, it is critical to record and analyze data to be able to correctly solve problems. For example, civil engineers use mathematical equations to make predictions, as well as design experiments to measure tolerances and strengths to build bridges and other structures. They mathematically analyze data from their experiments to learn how to fix existing problems and create better structures. Every engineering discipline requires engineering analysis on observed and measured data. This lesson prepares students to use engineering mechanics analysis skills that a mechanical engineer might employ on a daily basis.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define acceleration.
- Describe the relationship between position, velocity and acceleration.
- Use equations of motion to solve for unknown variables.
- Use Newton's second law of motion to quantify the force acting on the device at a given location.