Mimmo's 10th Blog

What science ideas did you learn?

This week we learned about force. We learned what forces do to objects. For example to hold a ball up you apply force up while the earth applies force down. Then we learned that the heavier the more force has to be applied to hold it up. We also learned when there is more earth force then the opposite force the object goes down, but if there is less earth force then the object will go up. We also learned how to create force diagrams. You make a dot to be your object and then you draw one arrow going up from the dot and one arrow going down from the dot. If the object doesn't move then your arrows are equal. If your object is going up then the upward arrow is longer. If the object is going down then the the arrow going downward is longer. We finally learned about force number sentences. For example (+10)+(-10)=0, this means the object isn't moving. If the object is going down the answer would be negative. If the answer is going up the answer would be positive. Finally we learned about another force diagram that has three arrows. This means there are forces pushing it up and down and there is one pushing it in another direction. For example a hockey puck. It the earth pushes it down, the ice pushes it up, and the shooter pushes it across.

How did you learn these ideas?

We learned these ideas because first Mr. Segen showed us force diagrams then, Laura had to hold a bowling ball up,in one hand, and a basketball in the other. Then Mr. Segen told us to draw a force diagram for this. Then this led to the number sentences and other force diagrams.

Why is it important to know this idea (What real world application is there)?

It is important to know this idea because one day I could be a teacher and my students might ask me what forces interact with a hockey puck being hit. Then I could think back to 8th grade science and tell them the earth's force, the ice's force, and the player's force.