Contextualization

The study of Vertical Movement is essential to understand how gravity acts on objects on our planet. In this project, we will explore the physical concepts of this movement and its importance in various areas such as sports, civil construction, aviation, and atmospheric sciences.

In the first part of our journey, we need to understand some of the fundamental laws that govern vertical movement. First, it is important to know that the acceleration due to gravity pulls objects towards the center of the Earth at a constant rate. This acceleration is approximately 9.8 m/s², regardless of the mass of the object in free fall.

Secondly, we need to understand the difference between velocity and acceleration. Velocity is the rate of change of displacement per unit of time, while acceleration is the rate of change of velocity per unit of time. In vertical movement, the velocity of an object constantly increases or decreases due to gravity's acceleration.

Finally, we must consider the impact of air resistance. In a vacuum, all objects fall at the same speed, regardless of their mass. This is known as the principle of equivalence, one of the cornerstones of Einstein's general theory of relativity. However, in a terrestrial environment, air resistance plays a significant role, especially for objects with large surface areas relative to their mass.

Understanding vertical movement is crucial in many aspects of our world. Engineers need to consider it when designing buildings, bridges, and stadiums. Athletes use vertical movement concepts to improve their performance in sports such as high jump, pole vault, and diving. Additionally, vertical movement plays an important role in atmospheric science, helping to understand cloud formation and air movement.

Furthermore, vertical movement has direct implications on the economy and politics, as it is a key element for space exploration and utilization. Rocket launches and landings, suborbital flights for space tourism, and meteorite falls are just a few examples of how vertical movement can impact the global economy and geopolitics.

For this project, we recommend the following resources to deepen your knowledge on the subject:

• What is Vertical Movement
• Vertical Movement, Video Lesson
• Vertical Movement and Free Fall
• Uniformly Varied Movement (MUV)

Practical Activity

Activity Title: The Tower and the Feather - Vertical Movement in Practice

Project Objective:

The objective of this project is to explore and understand the concepts of Vertical Movement, acceleration, velocity, and air resistance through practical experimentation. Students will be challenged to conduct experiments, collect data, and apply physics and mathematics concepts to analyze the results. Additionally, the project aims to foster teamwork, effective communication, and time management.

Detailed Project Description:

In this project, student groups will conduct experiments with objects of different masses and shapes falling from a defined height. They will be challenged to measure the fall time and analyze the data to understand how air resistance and gravity acceleration affect vertical movement.

Students will have the support of technology for measurement, such as a stopwatch app on a smartphone, and should create graphs and reports to present their findings.

This project should be carried out in groups of 3 to 5 students and is designed to last approximately 12 hours of work per student.

Required Materials:

1. Different objects for falling (Suggestion: balls of different sizes and materials, a feather, a piece of paper).
2. A safe and suitable location with a considerable height to conduct the experiment (Suggestion: a school building).
3. Smartphone with stopwatch app.
4. Material for recording results (Notebooks, pens, sheets on a notebook, etc.).
5. Graphing software (Excel, Google Sheets, or similar).

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution:

1. Planning and Role Distribution: The group must create an action plan and distribute responsibilities among members. This is the first step in time management and collaboration.

2. Object Selection: Choose the objects to be used in the experiment. It is important that they are of different shapes, sizes, and materials for a diversified analysis of the effect of air resistance.

3. Experiment Execution: At the chosen location, each object must be dropped from the same height. Using the smartphone stopwatch, students must measure the time each object takes to reach the ground from the moment it was dropped.

4. Data Collection: Document all measured times for the report. Repeat the experiments several times for each object and calculate the average to obtain more reliable data.

5. Data Analysis: Students must use mathematical skills to calculate the falling speed of each object and create graphs comparing time, speed, and air resistance for the different objects.

6. Report Preparation: Based on the collected data and the analysis performed, students must produce a descriptive report of the experiment. The structure of this report should include an introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography.

Project Deliverables:

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

1. Written Report: This document should contain the record of the entire experiment and data analysis. It will consist of four sections: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography.

   • Introduction: Contextualization of the project, explaining the concept of vertical movement and its relevance in the real world.

   • Development: In this section, the group must detail the entire experimental process, from planning teamwork to executing experiments and analyzing data. Graphs and tables should be used to demonstrate the results obtained. Details about the methodology and materials used should also be included.

   • Conclusions: Students should discuss their findings, highlighting the main learnings from the project and how these concepts apply to the real world.

   • Bibliography: All research sources and reference materials used during the project must be correctly mentioned.

2. Oral Presentation: Groups will have the opportunity to present their results to the class, emphasizing the challenges encountered, the main results, and the team collaboration during problem-solving.

3. Graphs and Tables: The graphical representations created to analyze the data must be delivered along with the report.

The teacher will assess students based on the quality of the experiment conducted, the accuracy and clarity of the report and presentation, as well as the team collaboration during the project.