Physics Independent Project · Physics Independent Project Hello Students, This resource packet includes a project that you can work on independently at home. You should also have

Physics Independent Project

Hello Students, This resource packet includes a project that you can work on independently at home. You should also have project packets for some of the other courses you are enrolled in. Each project can be completed over multiple days, and the projects can be completed in any order. High school project packets are available for the following courses:

English 1 Algebra Biology US History

English 2 Geometry Chemistry World Studies

English 3 Algebra 2 Physics Civics

English 4 Additional enrichment activities are also available and organized into Read, Write, Move, Design, and Solve categories to engage you in learning in many different ways while at home. Please be sure to also pick up an enrichment packet for access to these activities. Use the table of contents on this page to navigate through the project packet. High School Physics Project: Evaluating Claims on the Sprint Performance of Heavy and Light Basketball Shoes 1

High School Physics Project: Evaluating Claims on the Sprint Performance of Heavy and Light Basketball Shoes Estimated Time ~225 minutes

Grade Level Standard(s)

HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Caregiver Support Option

Caregivers can assist by supporting finding patterns in the data sets as well as reasoning for and against the different claims in the task.

Materials Needed Calculator, Writing Utensil

Question to Explore How does the weight of my basketball shoe influence how fast I can run? And why?

Student Directions Students will analyze data from authentic biomechanics research and use it to determine which of four claims best describes the effect of shoe weight on sprinting performance. More detailed directions are given in the task.

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https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/evidence_statement/black_white/HS-PS2-1%20Evidence%20Statements%20June%202015%20asterisks.pdf

HS Physics Task - Evaluating Claims on the Sprint Performance of Heavy and Light Basketball Shoes Activity Data Adapted From: The Effect of Shoe Weight on Sprint Performance: A Biomechanical Perspective In groups of basketball players, you can frequently hear discussions not of the game itself, but of one of the most important pieces of equipment in the game: shoes. Every player has an opinion on their shoes, and these opinions take a lot of factors into account. Do they grip the floor well? Do they feel good? Do they look good? The debate on what kind of basketball shoes helps players perform has been raging since basketball shoes first became popular. Among these questions, one of the most important ones that arises has to do with the type of movements common in basketball. Players perform on average 55 sprints per game, which makes up about 15% of the total playing time. This raises the question that is hotly debated: How does the weight of my basketball shoe influence how fast I can run? And why? Four students were arguing this question and came up with four different claims to answer the question. Their claims are shown below. Mya – Lighter shoes are better because they have less mass and so they can have higher acceleration. A lower mass shoe means higher acceleration because F = m × a. Lorenzo – Lighter shoes are better because they feel more “free” and allow the ankle to move easier, which translates into faster running. Julian – Heavier shoes are better because they help a player accelerate. The higher mass results in a higher force because F = m × a. Taija– Heavier shoes are better because the added weight keeps you going. More mass means it is harder to stop so the athlete will get there in less time and with higher speed. Task Overview To figure out which of these claims is best supported by evidence, you will analyze data from authentic biomechanics research. Scientists at the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Calgary did experiments to try to determine whether lighter shoes really improve athlete’s performance in basketball. Your goal is to analyze the data from this research and use it to determine which of the above claims best describes the effect of shoe weight on sprinting performance. On the following pages, you have five data sets that investigate the role of basketball shoe weight in sprint performance. For each data set, complete the data analysis that you find. Then, you will evaluate each of the claims with evidence you find and construct an argument as to which claim is most supported by the evidence.

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https://www.longdom.org/open-access/the-effect-of-shoe-weight-on-sprint-performance-a-biomechanical-perspective-2165-7556-S5-001.pdf

https://www.longdom.org/open-access/the-effect-of-shoe-weight-on-sprint-performance-a-biomechanical-perspective-2165-7556-S5-001.pdf

Data Set 1 – Investigating Running Velocity In this experiment, researchers tracked the time it took players wearing light shoes versus heavy shoes to run 3.7 m and 10.0 m. Athletes lined up at the start in a standing position with their non-dominant leg in front. Timing gates were set up as shown in the diagram to the left to operate a computer controlled stopwatch to track the time it took runners to run 3.7 m and 10.0 m. Athletes were asked to run with a maximum level of effort. The data shown below are averaged data from 22 athletes.

Shoe Type Position

(m) d

Time (s) t

Distance (m) Δd

Change in Time (s)

Δt

Velocity (m/s)

v

Change in Velocity (m/s)

Δv

Acceleration (m/s/s)

a

Light Shoe

0 0 (N/A) (N/A) 0 (N/A) (N/A) 3.7 0.803 3.7 0.803 10 1.842 6.2 1.039

Heavy Shoe

0 0 (N/A) (N/A) 0 (N/A) (N/A) 3.7 0.828 3.7 0.828 10 1.869 6.2 1.041

1. The testing setup recorded position and time. With these data you can calculate velocity and

acceleration. Use the equations below to calculate the velocity (v), change in velocity (Δv), and acceleration (a).

Record your work in the space below.

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2. What can you conclude about the role of shoe weight in sprint performance from what you found in the data? Consider discussing...

○ In which shoe do the athletes have a higher velocity? A higher acceleration? ○ Why is this true?

3. Evaluating Claims: Choose whether the evidence from Data Set 1 supports or refutes each of

the given claims, then explain your reasoning.

Data Set 1 Supports / Refutes

Mya’s Claim

Data Set 1 Supports / Refutes Lorenzo’s Claim


Julian’s Claim


Taija’s Claim Explain your reasoning. Explain your reasoning. Explain your reasoning. Explain your reasoning.

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Data Set 2 – Investigating Force and Acceleration in a Single Stride To test the forces involved in a step wearing either a heavy shoe or a light shoe, researchers built a sensor plate into the floor, and as athletes ran over the plate, the plate recorded the floor’s reaction force that pushed the athlete forward. To control the experiment, these athletes were wearing identical shoes. To vary weight on an identical shoe, the researchers added custom-made fabric bags of different weights to create a light shoe with a mass of 352 g and a heavy shoe with a mass of 637 g. These shoe weights were chosen because they correspond to the upper and lower weight limits of currently available commercial basketball shoes. The visually identical fabric bags were filled with either plastic pellets or metal pellets to achieve similar volumes but different weights. Researchers collected and averaged mass and maximum force data from all 22 participants. The data is shown below.

Shoe Type Average Player & Shoe Mass (kg)

Average Maximum Force Applied to Force Plate in

One Stride

Average Acceleration (m/s/s)

Light Shoe 72.704 kg 310 N

Heavy Shoe 73.274 kg 310 N

1. To determine the effect of the mass of the shoes on the athletes’ ability to accelerate, use the

equation F = m x a to calculate the acceleration. Add the accelerations to the table above. Record your work in the space below.

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○ In which shoe do the athletes have a higher acceleration? ○ Why is this true? Discuss using Newton’s Second Law.




Mya’s Claim



Julian’s Claim



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Data Set 3 – Force Applied Over Time In an experimental setup that was identical to the setup from Data Set 2, researchers collected data from the force plate over the full period of time in which an athlete’s foot was in contact with the force plate. The data collected are shown in the graph below. In this data, a positive force represents the force applied to the athlete as he or she pushes off in a stride, and a negative force represents the force applied as the athlete catches his or her stride initially.

1. What patterns do you notice in this data? Support your claim with evidence from the data.

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○ In which shoe are the athletes able to produce a higher force? ○ Why is this true? Discuss using Newton’s Second Law.




Mya’s Claim



Julian’s Claim



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Data Set 4 – Ankle Rotation Speed To determine how quickly different parts of the leg moved in a sprint, researchers attached 13 retro-reflectors to the athletes’ legs. High speed video cameras captured the movement of each reflector as the athletes completed a 3.7 m sprint. A computer model translated the location of the reflectors and measured the speed that the ankle and other joints rotated. For the data analysis, researchers focused specifically on the ankle. The graph below shows the average rotation speed of the ankle compared to the athletes’ average 3.7 m sprint time.

1. The data show a linear regression line of best fit and the R, the correlation coefficient. Describe the relationship between Sprint Time and Ankle Rotation Speed using these statistical measures.

2. Based on the R value in the data, describe the strength of the relationship you chose above.

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○ How does ankle rotation speed relate to sprinting performance? ○ Why is this true?




Mya’s Claim



Julian’s Claim



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Data Set 5 – Ankle Rotation Speed Over Time in Heavy and Light Shoes In an experimental setup that was identical to the setup from Data Set 4, researchers now tested whether the rotation of the ankle was different in heavy shoes compared to light shoes. The graph below shows the average ankle rotation speed over the course of a 3.7 m sprint, in both heavy shoes and light shoes.

1. What patterns do you notice in this data? Support your claim with evidence from the data.

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a. How does shoe weight relate to ankle rotation speed? b. Why is this true?




Mya’s Claim



Julian’s Claim



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Engaging in Argument From Evidence - Constructing Final Arguments

Return to the four claims that students were arguing about in the beginning of this task. Choose the claim you think is most supported by the body of evidence you have now analyzed, and write a final argument that states which claim you most support, the evidence that supports this claim, and how and why you think this claim is most supported, including how and why lighter or heavier shoes affect sprint performance. Finally, record one alternative claim and provide one piece of evidence and reasoning that refutes this claim.

Claim Record which of the original claims you think is best supported by the evidence.

Evidence Record at least three pieces of specific and appropriate evidence from the data sets analyzed.

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Reasoning Record how and why you think this claim is most supported, including how and why lighter or heavier shoes affect sprint performance.

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Rebuttal Record one alternative claim and provide one piece of evidence and reasoning that refutes this claim.

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Final Reflections 1. What did you learn from this task about how scientists evaluate competing claims?

2. What activities do you do where you think the weight of your shoes might make a difference?

How does this task make you think differently about how much difference you think heavy or light shoes might make in sports performance?

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Physics Independent Project · Physics Independent Project Hello Students, This resource packet includes a project that you can work on independently at home. You should also have