Lessons

Exploration

When it is cold outside, it is often thought that fans aren’t needed. However, it may be that a fan can bring warm air near the ceiling down to floor level, increasing comfort without raising the thermostat. Energy could therefore be saved.

Objective

In this experiment, students will:
1) Determine how a ceiling fan affects the temperature in a room, both near the floor and near the ceiling.

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Exploration

Does closing blinds or curtains save energy? Often the blinds or curtains in a room are left open when it is cold outside, even when no one is using the room. Would closing them save energy?

Objective

In this experiment, students will:
1. Determine how to use curtains to save energy when it is cold outside.

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Exploration

What does it mean to change temperature? What is temperature? We know what it means to be hot or cold, but what does it mean when you measure the temperature of an item?

Objective

In this experiment, students will:
1. Understand how the temperature of the water is related to the movement (kinetic energy) of the water molecules.
2. Use observations to describe the principle of thermal expansion.

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Exploration 

As a hiker changes elevation during a hike, the atmospheric pressure will change. The air pressure at sea level, is vastly different than the air pressure at the top of a mountain. In some regions, it can be even be difficult for people who are not from that region to breathe, because they are not used to the changes in altitude. Using PocketLab, determine the relationship between elevation and air pressure.

Objective

Exploration

Barometric pressure is the pressure from the force or weight of air exerted on a surface. The PocketLab’s barometric pressure sensor measures the force of the air molecules that push against the sensor.

Objective

In this exploration, students will:
1. Use the barometer to measure the weight of different objects.
2. Observe how pressure (force) inside a plastic bag is affected when weight is added to the plastic bag.

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Exploration

Barometric pressure is the pressure from the force or weight of air exerted on a surface. The PocketLab’s barometric pressure sensor measures the force of the air molecules that push against the sensor

Objective

In this investigation students will:
1. Design a system that uses PocketLab’s barometer and an understanding of ratios and proportions to build a scale.
2. Use the given supplies to find the weight of unknown objects.

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Exploration

A spirometer is an apparatus often used in the medical field to find the cause of shortness of breath. A spirometer can rule out lung diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. A spirometer can measure forced vital capacity. Forced vital capacity is the amount of air exhaled during a forced breath. Explore what factors affect forced vital capacity.

Objective

Exploration

After a change occurs, if the molecules of the chemicals involved do not change, it is only a physical change. Ice melting to water is an example of this. A change has occurred, but the H2 0 as ice, remains H2 0 as water. If however the molecules of the chemicals involved do change to form new chemicals, then a chemical change has occurred.

Exploration

Explore air pressure, temperature, and volume and how they work together. In a syringe sealed to an Erlenmeyer flask , when the syringe’s plunger moves back and forth, the volume of air in the syringe and f ask changes. Will the pressure also change if the temperature of the air sealed in the syringe and f ask changes? A PocketLab can be placed inside the Erlenmeyer f ask to measure the change in pressure as the the volume and temperature change. 

Objective

Exploration

Explore principles of harmonic motion. An oscillating mass on a spring or the motion of a simple pendulum are examples of objects in simple harmonic motion. When an object is in simple harmonic motion, the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement and will act in opposition to that displacement, allowing the object to oscillate back and forth.

Objective