Activity Overview
In this activity students will investigate the forces and motion related to a small, easy to build balloon-powered car. Students will design and build a balloon-powered car to specifications based upon a desired goal: 1) speed and/or 2) distance. Students will use a motion detector to measure the speed and acceleration of the balloon-powered car. They will also investigate the effects of the size of the propulsion tube on the speed and distance of the car.
Before the Activity
Download DataMate program
Connect the TI-73 to the CBL unit
Connect the motion sensor in the DIG/SONIC on the CBL 2
See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity.
During the Activity
Part 1 - Car Assembly (40-45 min)
Part 2 - Data Collection & Analysis (45-90 min)
After the Activity
Assessment Questions in document