From Algodoo

[edit] WHY ARE WHEELS CIRCULAR IN SHAPE?

Target	Teacher: Key Stage 2 (7-11) This lesson plan is not intended to be handed out to students but to be used as a teacher preparation and tutorial.
Time frame	30-60 min

[edit] Description

This lesson allows the student to examine the motion of circular, triangular, rectangular and irregular objects on a plane. What type of motions can be observed? Can boxes roll? Build a simple transportation vehicle. Experiment with with different shapes on the wheels. Why are wheels circular in shape?

[edit] Learning objectives

• Knowing about rolling motion.
• Understanding of the wheel and simple transportation vehicles.
• Evaluate different designs

[edit] In class

Start by discussing the problem of moving heavy objects over distances. What types of machines are there? When are wheeled machines used for this. What are the drawbacks with using other machines - e.g. cranes have limitied range, flying machines and robots are expensive. Are there wheeled vehicles with no motor? Use Algodoo for studying the motion of circular, rectangular and irregular objects on a plane. What types of motions are observed? What is special with rolling? Can a box roll? Experiment with dragging a heavy box over objects of different shapes. Let the student construct simple vehicles with wheels of different shapes. Why are wheels circular in shape?

Create a scene

Create a plane. Create circular, rectangular and irregular objects and study their motion. What types of motions are observed? What is special with rolling? Can a box roll? Experiment with dragging a heavy box over objects of different shapes. What is the behaviour?

Make a prediction

Construct a vehicle by connecting the center of the wheels to the vehicle body using the hinge tool. This is similar to the axel in the car. How will a vehicle with irregular shaped wheels behave? What are the advantages of having circular shaped wheels?

Run/Interact

Run the simulation and interact with it.

Evaluate

What behavior is observed with the different wheel shapes? How long do they roll? Adding a motor to the hinge and visualizing velocity arrows may help the analysis.