TOPIC

HOW DOES YOUR BICYCLE WORK?

Movement,
Friction,
Characteristics of motion and ways of setting something in motion
Force,
Motion (gears)

LEARNING This project shows students how force, action-reaction, friction,

rotation-translation, and gears are all involved in how a bicycle
SITUATION works.

COMPETENCIES Science and Technology

1: To take action, bearing in mind the different types of reasoning specific to science and
technology (1,2,4,5)

2: To appreciate how human activities are influenced by the different contributions of science
and technology (2)

3: To propose acceptable explanations in

appropriate scientific and technological languages (2,3,4,5)

 FIVE PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1: The Sled and Brick Experiments. Introduces the concept of friction as a force that opposes
movement but that also helps movement.

2: The Force Be With You. Introduces the concept of force, which is needed for movement to
occur.

3: What Kind of Movement? Helps students differentiate between rotational movement and
translational movement.

4: A Forceful Pair. Introduces students to the concept that for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction, although the reaction may not be visible.

5: Gearing Up! Introduces the principle of gears as devices that reduce or increase rotational speed,
and change the force coupled to it.

Background Information for Teachers

What is friction? Friction is the force that opposes motion. For example, if you slide
a penny across the table, friction will slow it down progressively and finally will stop
the penny from going further. If there were no friction between surfaces, then grip
would be impossible. Friction slows down moving objects that are touching.

What is force? Force is the amount of strength someone or something applies in

order to move an object across a surface. Force is one of several forms of push or
pull on an object. There is usually more than one force acting on an object.

What is movement? There are two types of movement: translation and rotation.

Translation occurs when an object moves from one place to another with no rotation.
Rotation occurs when an object spins on its own axis.

What are gears? Gears are used to change speed in many different kinds of complex
machines from cars to clocks. Gears consist of two or more toothed wheels that fit
into each other so that turning one wheel turns the other. A large gear makes a
smaller gear turn quickly and a small gear makes a large gear turn slowly.

Important details you need to know

• The motion of an object only changes if a force or several forces acts on it.

• The rougher surfaces are and the harder they press together, the more friction

there will be. (Examples: (a) Running shoes have rough rubber soles to increase

friction with the ground. (b) With too little friction between its tires and the
surface of the road, a car would slide on the road.

• Teachers should have a background in basic classical mechanics including:

1. Newtonian principles of classical mechanics

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Newton/NewtonLaw.ht
m

Inertia Motion Action-reaction

2. Basic knowledge of friction

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Statics/Friction.htm

3. Dynamics of an object

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Motions/Equation.htm
4. Linear and circular motion and the equivalent of mechanics and dynamics

laws in rotation

Http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Motions/Linear.htm

Http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Motions/Circular.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Motions/RollRotate.htm

5. Force and momentum

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Moment/Moment.htm

6. Principle of the gears.

http://library.thinkquest.org/28388/Mechanics/Newton/NewtonLaw.htm

Vocabulary List
(These words are defined within the activities.)
Acceleration Action-reaction Force Friction Revolution Rotation

Gears Grip Mass Movement Surface Translation

 Resources for Teachers & Students

Websites

http://www.clavis.it/personal/claudiob/leonardodavinci'sbike

http://www.members.aol.com/bicyclemus/bik-museum/Phbikbio.htm

Books
The Science Collection "Machines and The Science Collection "Forces" by Peter
Energy" by Peter D. Riley" D. Riley

Motion" by Paul Pierce Stief "Force and Motion" by Scholastic

"Machines Make it Easy" Project Collaboration 491

Usborne Science Reference Book

(Encyclopedia)

Teacher Comments from Field Testing

This project helped address misconceptions of both students and teachers. The
students learned through hands on activities, which was meaningful to them. It
helped teachers develop new teaching strategies and address a variety of
student leaning styles. Children who showed little enthusiasm for more
traditional activities became very motivated with this approach. Using a bike to
teach science concepts reduced student anxiety concerning the complexities of
science. It became obvious that students made conceptual links to other
subject areas.