Space SPACE KICKSTART PHYSICS WORKSHOP

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Julie Joy Henderson
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SPACE KICKSTART PHYSICS WORKSHOP LIST OF EXPERIMENTS 1.

Acceleration & g-forces 4. c & Relativity 5.

pay respect to the traditional owners of the land the

It is upon their ancestral lands that the University of

As we share our own knowledge, teaching, learning, and

1 SPACE KICKSTART PHYSICS WORKSHOP LIST OF EXPERIMENTS 1. Speed & escape velocity 2. Projectile Motion 3. Acceleration & g-forces 4. c & Relativity 5. Einstein Name: Kickstart would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional owners of the land the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. It is upon their ancestral lands that the University of Sydney is built. As we share our own knowledge, teaching, learning, and research practices within this University may we also pay respect to the knowledge embedded forever within the Aboriginal Custodianship of Country.

2 Get to know the inner space If you listen closely throughout the workshop, The demonstrators might let some of this info slip, but if not, just ask them. Write an interesting fact you learnt about at Physics List 3 risks in the 2 nd year lab Risk Consequence Precaution Find and list the 4 famous scientists in the lab. Careers with Physics Your demonstrator might be able to help with this What sort of career do you think you could get if you studied at the University of Sydney? Industry Research Public service

3 Speed & escape velocity Potential well There are a number of other orbits in orbital systems. Model each of the following with the gravity tramp and identify what object might have that orbit. Highly eccentric orbit - Hyperbolic orbit - Orbital decay - After modelling Low Earth Orbit and Geo-stationary orbits on the gravity tramp, compare the two by listing their similarities and differences. Similarities Differences Using the formula for the force of an object in a circular path, F = mv 2 and the r gravitational force, F = GMm r 2. Find a formula for the escape velocity v. v = What does this formula say about the concept of escape velocity?

Kepler s laws Kepler s three laws describe the motion of the orbiting bodies. They are: 1. The orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus. 2.

4 Kepler s laws Kepler s three laws describe the motion of the orbiting bodies. They are: 1. The orbit of every planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one focus. 2. A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. 3. T 2 R 3 Use the gravity tramp to help demonstrate each of Kepler s three laws.

5 Projectile Motion Monkey and the hunter Predict Observe Explain Above: Below: At: Acceleration is the change in velocity over time, a = Δv t or a = v u t rearranging for v gives, v = u + at displacement is the derivative of velocity (or area under the velocity-time graph) so,

6 S = v dt or S = (u + at) dt which gives, S = ut at! which is the vertical motion of the shot, where u is the initial velocity of the shot, t is the elapsed time and a is acceleration due to gravity. What is the vertical motion of the monkey? S (Monkey) = Given that the shot will hit the monkey when these two vertical components are equal, what is a general equation for the time (t) at which the shot hits the monkey? t =

7 Acceleration & g- forces Drop Tower This experiment uses a computer graphing program called Logger Pro. A Bluetooth connection between the probe and the computer will give us some data With a velocity vs time graph, we can calculate a value for the acceleration due to gravity on Earth using the equation: a = Δv t From the graph, what was the time of free fall? Attach a weight of 86.5 g to the Atwood machine, using the equation a = ( ) ( ) g m1 m2 m1+ m2 where m 1 is the accelerometer. Calculate the acceleration of the accelerometer Now drop the accelerometer. What is the reading on the acceleration vs time graph? m/s 2

8 Add another 50g to the Atwood machine. Using the same equation, Calculate the acceleration of the accelerometer Now drop the accelerometer. What is the reading on the acceleration vs time graph? m/s 2 Complete the table with the calculated value and measured value for acceleration due to gravity on different planets Actual value Measured Value Calculated value Reasons for differences Earth 9.8 m/s 2 Mars 3.71 m/s 2 Moon 1.62 m/s 2

9 c & relativity The Michelson-Morley Interferometer Observe the interference pattern as you change the path length for one of the light beams by carefully adjusting the position of the movable mirror. What happens to the pattern Sketch the interference pattern you see through view piece.

10 A slower speed of light Relativity is a very difficult thing to study, that s why we use models and visualisations. With the game A slower speed of light you can qualitatively describe some effects of relativity. With all models, there are limitations and inaccuracies. Sometimes, the use of a model can actually have a negative effect on the intended purpose of the model. In the following table, list some limitations and inaccuracies to this model. Advantages: Limitations:

Einstein When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours that's relativity.

11 Einstein When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours that's relativity. -- Albert Einstein Using the equation for time dilation t! = t 1 v! c! Fill in the table for the effect of time dilation in days and years with respect to the percentage of speed of light. Speed (% of c) days years What about the Speed of the ISS. It travels at a speed of 7.71 km/s

12 Inertial frame of reference vs non-inertial frame of reference The easiest way to do this is with rotating reference frames. Inertial frame of reference: The frame of reference where the Newtonian concept of inertia holds. Non-Inertial frame of reference: The frame of reference where the Newtonian concept of inertia does not hold. The easiest way to do this is with rotating reference frames.

KICKSTART PHYSICS SPACE 1. SPEED AND ESCAPE VELOCITY 2. PROJECTILE MOTION 3. ACCELERATION AND G-FORCES 4. C AND RELATIVITY 5.

KICKSTART PHYSICS SPACE 1. SPEED AND ESCAPE VELOCITY 2. PROJECTILE MOTION 3. ACCELERATION AND GFORCES 4. C AND RELATIVITY 5. EINSTEIN Kickstart would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional