Crash Tests: Energy & Collisions
Why are there car seat and seatbelt guidelines?
Guide students in developing a class focus question about the phenomenon. Why are there car seat and seatbelt guidelines?
Students will look at different examples of things with more or less energy. They will also experiment with cars and two different ramps. Students will use evidence from their experiment and research to answer the discovery question.
This discovery has students questioning and exploring what happens when two objects collide. Collisions result in a change in motion and a transfer of energy to the surrounding air as heat and sound. Students conduct several investigations to understand what is happening. Students also develop a model of the change in energy when objects collide.
In this discovery students will research crash test dummies and car seat safety guidelines in each state. Students will analyze data and graph their findings. Students will be exploring the safest way for members of their family to travel.
Your team has been tasked with designing the safest possible safety belt. The car is ready except for this critical component, and you have a release deadline that is approaching soon.