### Overview

Students will construct a model that helps reduce the momentum on an object or objects in a collision.

### Objectives and Goals

- Research an occupation that considers safety measures needed in case of a collision. (This objective is for the ICAP version of this lesson only.)
- Carry out an investigation showing that the more time in which a collision occurs will decrease the force acting on an object.
- Design constraints that minimize (reduce) the force on an object during a collision.

### Procedure

#### The Extend and the Evaluate go together.

#### Non-ICAP Version

Go to slide 13. Invite students to create a collision model of their own. Distribute to each student a copy of the Safety First Engineering Instructions (Links to an external site.) and Safety First Engineering Presentation Rubric (Links to an external site.).

Invite each student to create three trials for a collision model of their choice. The goal for each trial is to improve safety precautions with each trial. These models can be implemented as a distance learning activity or a face to face activity:

- If working online, students can create their own models. In this case, be sure to emphasize that students should use only inanimate (non-living) objects in their models.
- If working face-to-face, you may choose to have students work in pairs or in groups of 3-4.

Once ready to begin, guide students through the following steps of the experiment. You may choose to have students record videos of each trial, take before and after photos, or sketch and explain each trial on the Safety First Engineering Trials handout (Links to an external site.).

- In the first trial, ask students to determine the effects of the collision when no safety precautions are taken.
- In the second trial, ask students to add a safety precaution and determine what impact it has on the momentum of the object.
- In the third trial, ask students to improve the safety precautions and determine how it decreased the momentum of the impact.

#### ICAP Version

This version of the activity can be used to add a career exploration element to this lesson.

Go to slide 11. Tell students: “Today, we are going to learn about two professions that need to understand the physics of car crashes, but from two vastly different angles.” Invite students to watch a video to introduce these professions. Ask students to consider, as they watch, what kind of research they would need to do on Newton’s laws in order to be successful at these jobs.

For students to answer this question as they watch, you can use either of the following methods.

Edpuzzle: Have students watch “ICAP - Buckle Up” on Edpuzzle (Links to an external site.). Here, the questions are already embedded in the video. For further instructions Edpuzzle—or more information on how you can use it for other lessons—see the K20’s Center’s Edpuzzle Tech Tool (Links to an external site.) resource. Once the EdPuzzle has been completed, insert a link in the student-facing page, Safety First Engineering - ICAP Version Pt. 1.

Mentimeter: To use Mentimeter (Links to an external site.), you will need to visit the site and create an account (or log in) and create two open-ended questions in advance. For further instructions on how to create your own Mentimeter, see the K20 Center’s Mentimeter Tech Tool (Links to an external site.) resource. Prepare the following questions:

1. What kind of evidence related to Newton's laws would Mr. Marshall need to take into consideration in a case concerning a car crash?
2. Describe, in three sentences or less, how Ms. Schneberger uses her degree in chemical engineering to make cars safer and to decrease the momentum of an object in a car collision.

First, play the video “ICAP - Buckle Up” (Links to an external site.) through YouTube. Pause the video at the 2:27 mark and have students answer open-ended question #1 in Mentimeter. Resume the YouTube video. Once the video is over, have students answer open-ended question #2 in Mentimeter.

Once students have watched the video and answered the questions, go to slide 12. Ask students to think of a job they are interested in pursuing or that they find fascinating. Highlight how that occupation institutes safety procedures to reduce momentum on an object and explain why those safety precautions are essential to that job.

Go to slide 13. Invite students to create a collision model of their own. Distribute to each student a copy of the Safety First Engineering Instructions (Links to an external site.) and Safety First Engineering Presentation Rubric (Links to an external site.).

Invite each student to create three trials for a collision model of their choice. The goal for each trial is to improve safety precautions with each trial. These models can be implemented as a distance learning activity or a face to face activity:

- If working online, students can create their own models. In this case, be sure to emphasize that learners should use only inanimate (non-living) objects in their models.
- If working face-to-face, you may choose to have students work in pairs or in groups of 3-4.

Once ready to begin, guide students through the following steps of the experiment. You may choose to have students record videos of each trial, take before and after photos, or sketch and explain each trial on the Safety First Engineering Trials handout (Links to an external site.).

- In the first trial, ask learners to determine the effects of the collision when no safety precautions are taken.
- In the second trial, ask learners to add a safety precaution and determine what impact it has on the momentum of the object.
- In the third trial, ask learners to improve the safety precautions and determine how it decreased the momentum of the impact.