Construct a Boat

By William Baroway

In this hands-on approach to the physics of product design, students apply concepts such as heat transfer, buoyancy, elasticity, or insulation to the development of everyday items. Necessary materials are inexpensive and easy to find.Cruise into buoyancy. Construct-a-Boat harbors the goal of deepening students' knowledge of basic principles of mass, buoyancy, friction, and acceleration. By working with a simple model powered by a battery-driven fan, students get a feel for the forces involved in moving a boat through water. In order to improve performance, students use their understanding of physics to analyze parameters and design a faster boat. This immersion in learning-by-doing translates abstract concepts into tangible objectives and teaches students seaworthy lessons in modeling and design.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0873551788
• ISBN13: 9780873551786
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: National Science Teachers Association
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.