Playground Science – Exploring Pendulums & Ada Twist, Scientist

Playground Science and an Ada Twist, Scientist Giveaway

Playground designs have changed throughout the years, but a few structures like swings, monkey bars, and slides remain constant. Most kids have been on swings since before they could even walk, whether from being in an infant swing at home or a toddler swing at a playground or on a backyard swing set. It is a motion they are familiar with, and it can be quite soothing. Why not try using this favorite pastime to do some playground science next time you visit the local park?

How can swings help children explore science? The answer is in the physics of pendulums! Your students will follow the Scientific Method and come to a conclusion on their own about swings. What could be more fun than playground science?

To get started, ask your children or students: What factors affect the period of a pendulum? This is our question. It’s a good idea to discuss what a pendulum and its period are! A pendulum is simply a mass (called a bob) suspended on the end of a string. For this experiment, the mass needs to move freely, so if you are using people as the mass, you should have them stop pumping their legs when you are ready to measure the period (have them try to reach approximately the same swing height before they stop pumping). Better yet, if you have the help of a tall and strong person, you can have them pull the swing back and start it at the same height each time! If you have stop watches, now is the time to get them out. If not, you can use a stopwatch app. The period is how long it takes for the swing to make one complete pass, so it makes the most sense to measure when it reaches the top of its swing, and then again when it comes back to that point.

For this experiment, try enlisting the help of two people with a large difference in mass (adult and child) to participate in the experiment. Alternately, you can weigh the participants, but not everyone is comfortable with disclosing their weight. The experiment works best if you can alter the swing so that the length of the string (or swing chain) is significantly different (if the mass of the chain is quite large, the results will be skewed). You can even test this with an empty swing if the swing seat itself is much heavier than the chain.

Now it is time to test the hypothesis with an experiment. Have each of your test subjects swing on the swing for at least a few swings (trying to reach approximately the same height), then have them stop pumping their legs and measure the period. Do this by starting the stopwatch when they reach the very front/top of the swing, and when they return back to it again. Record the period, then move on to the next test subject!

Once each person has tested the swing at the initial height, move the swing higher, and repeat the test. Repeat the entire process at least once more for best results. You are now ready to analyze the data. Look at the test results and ask your kids these questions:

• What do you notice about the period when the swing is low to the ground (long string/chain) compared to when it is short?
• What do you notice about the period when people of different mass are on the swing?
• What factor affects the period more, the mass of the rider, or the length of the string?
• Does the starting angle affect the period at all (if the rider swings very high or very low)?

Draw Conclusions

The Physics of Pendulums

Ada Twist, Scientist Giveaway

**GIVEAWAY CLOSED**

Abrams Books provided us with a copy of Ada Twist, Scientist and a special Ada Twist print signed by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts to share with one lucky reader! You will adore this book if you enjoyed Rosie Revere, Engineer or Iggy Peck, Architect.

From the publisher:

GIVEAWAY CLOSED, sorry!

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Giveaway rules:

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