Rolling toy

Rolling toy

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about elastic energy.
The students in Ms Wrigley's class made a roller toy like the one in the picture above. Phillipa wound the rod of her toy around so that the rubber band twisted. She then let the toy move across the floor until it stopped. She did this six times, winding the rod a different number of turns each time. Phillipa made this table of results for her roller toy.
 
No. of complete turns of the rod 2 4 6 8 10 12
Distance travelled (cm) 4 8 12 16 20 ?

Question 2Change answer

a)  What number will Phillipa probably put in the empty space in the table?
     

Question 2Change answer

b)  What is the connection between the number of turns of the rod and how far the toy moved?

Question 2Change answer

c)  Phillipa made some changes to her roller toy to see if she could make the toy move further. 
     Name two things she could change.
 
1.  2. 
 
Task administration: 
This task can be completed online or with pencil and paper.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Physical World
Keywords: 
using physics, forces, energy, table interpretation
Description of task: 
Task: Identify patterns in a table and suggest ways to make a toy travel further. Assessment focus: interpreting data; energy; forces.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss looking at the patterns in a graph to make inferences.
 
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 
   

Y6 (09/1997)
a) 24 easy
b) The greater the number of turns the greater the distance travelled,
or the increase is at a constant rate,
or the distance travelled is double the number of turns.		 difficult
c) Any 2 of:

Change

  • Length of rod/rod
  • Thickness of rubber band/rubber band
  • Number of rubber bands
  • Diameter/mass of cylinder/cylinder
  • Improve grip, e.g., cut notches in "wheels"
  • Reduce friction between rod and cylinder, e.g., use candle cross-section "washer"
  • Any other reasonable explanation of factors
 2 correct – moderate

1 correct – easy