Physics

Physics class at Mass Academy is taught by Mr. Ellis. In this class, we learn about a wide range of theoretical concepts which we then apply to complete numerous problems. So far, we have learned about kinematics, forces, energy, power, and momentum. I really enjoy physics class because I find it really interesting how so many different abstract concepts all interact to explain a natural phenomenon.

Uber Rocket Problem

Uber problems are multi-step problems that we typically complete per unit. The first uber problem we solved this year was in the kinematics unit. In this problem, a rocket was launched at an angle upward with a specified acceleration. Eventually, the engine turned off and the rocket continued its motion as a projectile. As the rocket began to fall toward the ground, a parachute opened and a wind blew the rocket horizontally. In this problem, we were tasked with solving the total horizontal displacement of the rocket from its starting position to the end.

Penny Drop Lab

We completed the penny drop lab during our forces unit. The purpose of this lab was to design an experiment using a penny and stopwatch to determine the acceleration of gravity. After completing this experiment, we wrote a lab report to describe our data which you can see below.