Toys in Space National Aeronautics and Space Administration Middle School at Parkside Eighth Grade Science

NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration...

NASA’s Toy Box

What is microgravity?

Gravity (g) Gravity is a force of attraction between objects. The more massive the object, the greater the pull. However, the object has to be really massive, like Earth, for the pull to be obvious.

The g’s Earth’s gravity = 1 g Provides a force of acceleration known as free fall (9.8 m/s2). High g’s Any acceleration greater than free fall. > 1 g 9.8 m/s2 Low g’s Any acceleration less than free fall. < 1 g < 9.8 m/s2

Gravity Mass – the amount of matter an object contains Weight – the magnitude of a gravitational pull Ex. The moon’s gravitational pull is 1/6th that of earth.

You know you’re in microgravity when . . . . You sleep tethered to a wall or ceiling. You turn a screw, but you turn instead. A sneeze sends you flying backwards. A drop of water forms a sphere and floats in the air. The toilet acts like a vacuum cleaner, using flowing air instead of water. Microgravity 8/13 NASA at the Amusement Park

What is microgravity? Microgravity is an environment where some of the effects of gravity are reduced. Objects may appear to be weightless in mg conditions. You can create mg conditions with freefall.

Physics Concepts Review

Physics - Friction The force that makes it difficult for one object to slide over another On earth, push an object and friction slows it down. In space, there is no friction. If you push an object, it continues to move and is difficult to stop or change direction. Precision Air Bearing Floor (PABF) Simulates lack of friction in microgravity Astronauts practice moving large objects without letting them get away

Physics - Momentum Momentum = mass X velocity Conservation of Momentum - In a collision of 2 objects, the momentum lost by object 1 is equal to the momentum gained by object 2.

Physics- Centripetal and Centrifugal Force Centripetal Force – The inward force which causes an object to turn. Centrifugal Force – The apparent outward force exerted by an object moving in a circle. In reality, the object is simply tying to move in a straight line.

Physics Angular Momentum a measure of the amount of spin or orbital motion an object has. Ex. Gyroscope, wheel Angular Momentum = mass × velocity × distance (from point object is spinning or orbiting around) Linear momentum and centripetal force combine to give an object angular momentum. Angular momentum must be conserved – Conservation of Angular Momentum.

Physics - Newton’s 1st Law of Motion - An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion indefinitely along the same straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force. Inertia (1) –an object tends to resist any change in its motion

Physics - Newton’s 1st Law of Motion Whirl a yo-yo around on the end of its string. What will happen when you let go of the string? Why does a satellite orbit the earth?

Physics - Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion Force = mass X acceleration F = m X a (ball) (ball) (cannon) (cannon)

Physics - Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion Would you apply a greater force to kick the basketball or the beach ball the same distance? Baseball or a whiffle ball? Golf ball or a ping pong ball?

Physics – Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Objects move forward by pushing backward on a surface or on a fluid.

Teaching Physics with Toys

Teaching with Toys Marbles Collisions - Part 1- Observe colliding marbles to demonstrate the law of conservation of momentum.

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Toys in Space Student Investigations: Describe how you play with this toy here on Earth. Name the physics concepts that make this toy work. Will toy work in space? Why? Would you change anything to make toy work in space? Results in microgravity (DVD)

Toys in Space Boomerang In space, there is no gravity to turn the boomerang from vertical to horizontal. The boomerang continued to move forward and did not change orientation or return to the astronaut - Newton’s First Law of Motion.

Toys in Space Kendama or Ball and Cup Make your own kendama with a dixie cup, craft stick, string and a ping pong ball. Gravity causes the ball to fall into the cup and stay there.

Toys in Space Kendama or Ball and Cup In space, the ball follows a straight path until it is snapped back when the string is stretched all the way out – Newton’s First Law of Motion. The astronaut was able to get the ball into the cup by redirecting the ball toward it, but he had a hard time keeping it in the cup. The ball kept bouncing back out Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion (Action-reaction) because there was no gravity to help keep it in.

Toys in Space Jump rope Gravity pulls the jumper back down to the ground. The jump rope circles the jumper by centripetal force.

Toys in Space Jump rope When the rope circles in one direction, the free-floating astronaut may swing around in the other direction to conserve angular momentum.

Learn all you can and who knows how far you’ll go?