[Phys-L] Re: Buoyancy challenge activity

[gspagna at RMC.EDU (Spagna Jr., George)]

Hasan writes:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fakhruddin, Hasan [mailto:hfakhrud@BSU.EDU]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 7:22 PM

> My suggestions was to make a square tray by 'pinching' 1/6 L X 1/6 L
squares at >each corner of the L x L square aluminum sheet.

We do this routinely in our intro course (we use pennies instead of
marbles).  It's done as a competition after we've worked on buoyancy and
fluids.

Our preference is to let the students experiment, then have them analyze
why their designs did or did not work as expected, rather than telling
them what should work.

**********************************************
 "Keep an open mind, but not so open
             that your brains fall out."
                         -Attribution uncertain
**********************************************

Dr. George Spagna
Chair, Physics Department
Randolph-Macon College
P.O. Box 5005
Ashland, VA 23005-5505

phone: (804) 752-7344
fax: (804) 752-4724
e-mail: gspagna@rmc.edu
http://faculty.rmc.edu/gspagna