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Rocket from the North Pole

Keywords: Reference Frames, Rotating Frames, Small Group Activity

rfnorth.jpg

Highlights of the activity

  1. This kinesthetic activity is designed to help upper division undergraduate students visualize “straight” lines on a rotating object.
  2. Students work in pairs and attempt to draw straight lines on a rotating balloon.
  3. The entire class wrap-up discussion includes students sharing their work, opening up the classroom for a conversation on trajectories of objects in a rotating reference frame.

Reasons to spend class time on the activity

Provides a simple introduction to trajectories as observed on Earth.

Reflections

Instructor's Guide

Student Handouts

rfnorthhand.pdf

rfnorthhand.tex


Authors: Ethan Minot
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