Activity Overview
In this lesson, students will use a simulation to explore a 3-way tug o' war where students supply a third equilibrant force to balance two other forces.
Objectives
- Students will explore a simulation of static forces.
- Students will find vector components.
- Students will find resultant and equilibrant force vectors.
Vocabulary
- compression
- equilibrant
- resultant
- statics
- tension
- vector component
About the Lesson
This lesson simulates a 3-way tug o' war where students supply a third equilibrant force to balance two other forces. This will take place on a compass direction system. As a result, students will:
- Compare Cartesian (x,y) and compass (N,E) direction systems.
- Determine vector components in a compass system.
- Find resultant and equilibrant vectors.
- Solve a set of 3-way tug o' war problems by determining and setting an equilibrant to two other forces, and then checking their answer.