Horsepower Inquiry Activity Challange

Overview

In this inquiry activity, students will work in group of four to determine the power they generate moving up a flight of stairs. Students will develop their own procedure using a small list of readily available tools, collect data and calculate results.

NB Curricular Connections

Science 10

• Strand: Scientific Literacy – Big Ideas: Investigation – Skill Descriptor(s): Examine questions about relationships between and among observable variables to plan investigations; Collect and represent accurate data using appropriate tools and methods.
• Strand: Scientific Literacy – Big Ideas: Sensemaking – Skill Descriptor: Analyze and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to construct explanations and conclusions.
• Strand: Scientific Literacy – Big Ideas: Communication – Skill Descriptor: Develop scientific collaborative skills during investigations to communicate conclusions supported by data.

Physics 11

• Strand: Energy and Waves – Big Idea: How and Why Energy Moves and Changes – Skill Descriptor: Analyze the relationships between work, power, kinetic, and potential energies associated with moving objects
• Strand: Integrated Skills – Big Idea: Application and Practice – Skill Descriptor – Apply technology and inquiry skills.

What You’ll Need

The following is based on a class size of 28 with students put into groups of four.  This activity is best conducted outside or in a school stair well.

• 7 x copies of “Horsepower Inquiry Activity Challenge” document
• 7 x meter sticks (or tape measure)
• 7 x stop-watches or alternative
• Access to a flight or two of stairs

Instructions

1. Find several suitable stairwells for students to conduct the activity.
2. Break students into groups of four and hand out the “Horsepower Inquiry Activity Challenge” document.
3. Students should have knowledge on how to calculate weight (force from acceleration due to gravity, Fg =mg)
4. Start the lesson by introduce the idea of energy and work. Allow the students to work on the practice problem in their groups.
5. Give the students the materials and have them devise their procedure.
6. Students conduct the inquiry challenge and collect their data on the table provided.
7. Students calculate the results and answer the analysis questions.

Extension Ideas

• Consider pairing this activity with the speaker series videos:12 careers in the energy sector you may never have considered (#7 may shock you) | Centre of Excellence for Energy (centresofexcellencenb.ca) for an investigation of energy related careers in New Brunswick

Reflection Activity

Coming Soon

Acknowledgments