Acceleration in School, In Everyday Life and In Amusement Parks

• Newton's discovery of the laws of motion changed the way we view our universe. They are a standard part of any physicist's toolbox. Still, there is an overwhelming body of evidence that students often fail to master even the most basic aspects and everyday experience often appears to contradict the laws of motion. This chapter focuses on acceleration, which, unlike velocity, can be detected by a body in motion and measured within the moving system. Acceleration is also more fundamental; it is absolute, whereas velocity is relative and depends on the frame of reference chosen. This makes it possible to build on, rather than reject, the experience by learners and start in situations which where everyday observations do not contradict Newtonian concepts. The vector character of acceleration does not need to be seen as an abstract concept, but is evident in our daily three-dimensional motions, without the need to invoke a formal mathematical treatment. After an introduction presenting different aspects of acceleration, including different ways of measuring and experiencing acceleration in different types of motion, follows a presentation of an investigation of new physics students' understanding of acceleration. Consequences of introducing acceleration through the mathematical definition, a=dv/dt, or through Newton's second law, a=F/m are discussed and related textbook presentations are analysed. Which aspects of acceleration are discerned and which are not? Can teaching be modified to make critical aspects of acceleration accessible to the students? The last part of this chapter describes pilot projects with 10-11 year olds who were invited to guided physics experiments in an amusement park or playground. Is it possible and meaningful for them to investigate acceleration in three dimensions?

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Acceleration force concepts "nature of science"

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