Activity Detail

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	Up and Down: Damped Harmonic Motion

Activity Overview

In this activity, students' will use a motion detector to record the motion data for a plate bouncing at the end of a light spring, and analyze the data to determine frequency, period and amplitude. They will then find an appropriate model for the resulting data set.

Before the Activity

Connect the motion detector to the DIG/SONIC port of the CBL 2™ or the DIG/SONIC 1 port of the Vernier LabPro®

Connect the CBL 2 or LabPro to the calculator using the Unit-to-Unit cable

See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity

Print pages 265 - 275 from the attached PDF file for your class

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During the Activity

Distribute the pages 265 - 275 to your class.

Follow the Activity procedures:

Zero the motion detector and suspend the spring and its plate over it

Allow the spring to oscillate up and down and begin data collection

Observe the graph of distance versus time graph

Compare the data to the model equation

After the Activity

Students' will analyze their data and fill in the Data Collection and Analysis Sheet. They will also answer questions listed in it.

Review student results

As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging

Re-teach concepts as necessary

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