35 marbles (or any other compact material weighing about 250g)
String (30cm long)
A stack of books
A long smooth board
A rubber band scale (see instructions below)
*Steps to make a rubber band scale
Materials: A paper clip, tape, scissors, a medium weight rubber band, a 30cm ruler.
Make one cut in the rubber band to make one long piece.
Tie a paper clip to one end of the rubber band.
Hold the paper clip so the tip is at the 9cm mark on the ruler.
Drape the rest of the rubber band along the length of the ruler so its end hangs over the end of the ruler (the zero mark end.)
While holding the paper clip at the 9cm mark, tape the other end of the rubber band to the back of the ruler. Don’t stretch the rubber band.
Note: To use the rubber band scale, fix the load to the paper clip on the scale. Hold the ruler by its edges and let the load pull the rubber band down the length of the ruler. Read the number at the bottom tip of the paper clip. This is your measurement.
Procedure
Place the marbles in the sandwich bag and tie it shut with the twist tie. This is your load.
Tie one end of the string to the paper clip on the scale.
Tie the other end of the string to the neck of the sandwich bag.
Stack the books on the end of the table.
Place the load on the table and slowly lift it to the height of the stack of books by lifting the ruler (let the rubber band stretch down the front of the ruler.)
Observe how far the rubber band stretches. Find the number by the tip of the paper clip on the scale and record it.
Place one end of the board on the books to make a ramp. The other end is resting on the table.
Place the load at the bottom of the ramp and move it up the ramp by pulling the scale up the ramp (let the rubber band stretch down the length of the ruler.)
Observe how far the rubber band stretches. Find the number beside the tip of the paper clip on the scale and record it.
Observations In the rubber band scale, how does the amount of stretch in the rubber band indicate the effort being used? To what number of the ruler did the rubber band stretch when the load was lifted straight up? To what number of the ruler did the rubber band stretch when the load was pulled up the ramp?
The Inclined Plane and the Lever: Lab Activity
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Materials
A plastic sandwich bag with a twist tie
35 marbles (or any other compact material weighing about 250g)
String (30cm long)
A stack of books
A long smooth board
A rubber band scale (see instructions below)
*Steps to make a rubber band scale
Materials: A paper clip, tape, scissors, a medium weight rubber band, a 30cm ruler.
- Make one cut in the rubber band to make one long piece.
- Tie a paper clip to one end of the rubber band.
- Hold the paper clip so the tip is at the 9cm mark on the ruler.
- Drape the rest of the rubber band along the length of the ruler so its end hangs over the end of the ruler (the zero mark end.)
- While holding the paper clip at the 9cm mark, tape the other end of the rubber band to the back of the ruler. Don’t stretch the rubber band.
Note: To use the rubber band scale, fix the load to the paper clip on the scale. Hold the ruler by its edges and let the load pull the rubber band down the length of the ruler. Read the number at the bottom tip of the paper clip. This is your measurement.Procedure
Observations
In the rubber band scale, how does the amount of stretch in the rubber band indicate the effort being used? To what number of the ruler did the rubber band stretch when the load was lifted straight up? To what number of the ruler did the rubber band stretch when the load was pulled up the ramp?