Project: The Momentum Game

Contextualization

The amount of movement, also known as momentum, is a fundamental concept of physics. It is defined as the product of the mass of an object by its speed. It is a vector quantity, which means that it has magnitude and direction. Why is this important to us? In many ways, momentum reveals more about the motion of an object than force alone.

In fact, the Law of Conservation of Momentum is one of the fundamental laws of nature, and it describes that the total amount of momentum of a closed system (that is, a system that is not influenced by external forces) remains constant. This leads us to fascinating predictions and calculations about how objects will move. This law is applied in various fields, such as physics, chemistry, engineering, and even economics.

Have you ever wondered why a firearm shot causes recoil? Or why skaters in a skating rink move in the opposite direction when they throw something away from them? That's the result of the conservation of momentum! These are everyday examples that happen because of this principle, but its applications go far beyond that, even to the point of explaining basic principles behind the functioning of rockets and spaceships!

Now, you might be wondering how we can study this in a practical and fun way? Well, here's the good news: we will propose an engaging and playful project to help you better understand these concepts and to put the theory into practice. This project will also stimulate collaboration and teamwork.

The following resources can be used to delve into the theory and prepare for the project:

1. Book "Fundamentals of Physics: Gravitation, Waves and Thermodynamics - Volume 2", by David Halliday, Robert Resnick and Jearl Walker, published by LTC.
2. Website "Brasil Escola", in its physics section, which explores the topic of Conservation of Momentum (section link).
3. Video "Conservation of Momentum - World of Physics" available on YouTube (video link).

Remember that it is always important to seek knowledge from multiple sources to have a complete and robust view of the topic.

Practical Activity: "The Momentum Game"

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to understand and apply the concept of conservation of momentum in practice by creating an interactive game.

Detailed project description

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people, and each group will be responsible for creating a game that demonstrates the concept of conservation of momentum.

The game must be physical (not digital) and must be based on reality, which means that it must involve moving physical objects. The objective of the game should be to clearly and directly demonstrate the concept of conservation of momentum.

Students will have 1 month to develop, build and test the game.

Required Materials

To create the game, you can use any materials you see fit. Some materials that could be useful include:

• Balls of different sizes and weights
• Rails or ramps
• Ropes and elastics
• Tapes for marking, among others.

You are encouraged to be creative in choosing the materials and building the game!

Step by Step

The following steps are suggested for carrying out the project:

1. Study: Begin with a theoretical review of the concept of conservation of momentum. This includes discussing and understanding the formulas and examples of application.
2. Game Planning: Come up with the idea for the game. Remember, the goal is to demonstrate conservation of momentum. Brainstorm as a group and discuss several ideas before deciding on one.
3. Game Design: Make a detailed drawing of how the game will work. This will be your "design". Include what materials will be needed, how the game will demonstrate conservation of momentum, and how players will interact with it.
4. Game Construction: With the design in hand, now it's time to build the game. Gather the necessary materials and work as a team to construct the game.
5. Game Testing: Once the game is built, test it to make sure that it works as intended. Make any necessary adjustments.
6. Presentation and Report: Prepare a presentation of the game for the class, demonstrating how it works and how it demonstrates the conservation of momentum. Also, write a detailed report describing the entire game creation process.

Project Deliverables and Written Document

At the end of the project, each group must deliver:

1. The physical game, ready to be shown and played.
2. An oral presentation and demonstration of the game for the class, explaining the concepts involved and how the game demonstrates them.
3. A written report detailing the game creation process.

The report should be divided into the following sections:

• Introduction: Contextualize the theme and explain the objective of the project. Report the relevance of conservation of momentum in the real world and the importance of the game to understand this concept.
• Development: Describe the theory of the concept of conservation of momentum. Explain the activity in detail, including how the game was planned and built and what materials were used. Discuss the results observed during the game test and how these results demonstrate the theoretical concepts.
• Conclusions: Retake the main points of the project, explain what was learned through the project and what conclusions can be drawn.
• Bibliography: Indicate the sources of information used during the project, such as books, websites, videos, among others.

Remember: the "Momentum Game" project goes beyond applying the concepts of conservation of momentum; it is also about teamwork, effective communication, time management and creative thinking.