Download Resource Doc File - Dayton Regional Stem Center

Printable Resources
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix A: Pre/Post Test
Appendix B: Pre/Post Test Answer Key
Appendix C: Related Articles
Appendix D: Career Concept Map
Appendix E: Engineering Design Process Graphic
Appendix F: Engineering Design Challenge with Rubric
Appendix G: Engineering Design Challenge Roles
Appendix H: Design Brief
Appendix I: Peer Evaluation Sheet
Appendix J: Magnetic Station Task Cards
Appendix K: Magnetic Student Answer Document
Appendix L: Magnetic Student Answer Document Key
Appendix M: Magnet Station Reflection Questions
Appendix N: How Does the Number of Magnets Affect the Speed of a Magnetic Linear
Accelerator?
Appendix O: Decision Analysis Matrix
Appendix P: Design Process Notes
Appendix Q: Design Process Reflection Questions
Appendix R: Presentation Directions and Rubric
Appendix S: Additional Technical Brief
www.daytonregionalstemcenter.org
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix A: Pre/Post Test
Name______________________________________
1. In this picture, the iron filings show the shape of the magnetic —
A
B
C
D
Axis
Core
Field
Pole
2. Which statement best compares a permanent magnet and an electromagnet?
A
A permanent magnet has a north pole and a south pole, but an electromagnet
only has a south pole.
B
A permanent magnet has a fixed magnetic field strength but the magnetic field strength
of an electromagnet can be changed
C
A permanent magnet requires an external source of energy, but an electromagnet
produces its own energy.
D
The magnetic field lines from a permanent magnet emerge from the north pole, but they
emerge from the south pole of the electromagnet.
3. Karen wants to make an electromagnet using a copper wire wrapped around an iron
bar, as shown below.
To make the bar an electromagnet, what should Karen do next?
A
B
C
D
connect the wire to a bulb
heat the wire around the bar
send a current through the wire
touch the end of the wire together
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 2
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
4. Jeff used the following electromagnet to pick up piles of different objects on his
desk. First he picked up staples. Next he tried to pick up paper clips but could not.
Then he picked up small nails. Finally he picked up safety pins. Jose concluded that
the reason the electromagnet did not pick up the paper clips was that it was not
strong enough.
What is an alternate explanation for why the
electromagnet did not pick up the paper clips?
(1pt)
5. The diagram below shows an iron ball and a ramp with several magnets on it. The ball
does not stick to any magnet, but the magnets are close enough to affect the motion of
the ball. The ball rolls slowly down the ramp, following a curved path.
Why doesn’t the ball roll in a straight line
down the ramp? Explain your answer.
(2 pts)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 3
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
6. A student created an electromagnet and wanted to see how the number of wire coils
affected the number of paper clips the electromagnet was able to hold. The results are
displayed below.
# of Paper Clips
Electromagnet Strength
# of Paper
Clips
# of Coils
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Number of Coils
0
0
20
8
40
18
60
31
80
46
How would you describe the linear pattern created by the points plotted on the graph? How
does the number of paper clips change as more wire coils are added? (2 pts)
Create a line of best for the plotted points by drawing on the line graph above. Determine the
slope of the line of best fit in workspace provided below. (2 pts)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 4
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
7. A student made the magnetic linear accelerator displayed in the image below. The
accelerator was made using three magnets secured to a wooden track. Each magnet
had three ball bearings placed in front of it. Another ball bearing was then rolled along
the track towards the first magnet causing the last ball bearing on the track to be
launched towards the soda can. The ball bearing then hit the soda can, leaving a dent
in the side of it.
What is one way the student could alter
the magnetic linear accelerator in order
to create a larger dent in the soda can?
Explain your answer. (2 pts)
(Bunsen, 2012)
8. Ben and Brandon are designing an (EMALS) Electromagnetic Launch System; they are
collecting and recording data. What part of the Engineering Design Process are they
working on? How do you know? (2 pts)
9. Dan wants to start building a prototype, Jeff explains that they need to start by identifying
the problem, who should the rest of the design team listen to and why? (2 pts)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 5
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix B: Pre/Post Test Answer Key
1. C field
2. B A permanent magnet has a fixed magnetic field strength but the magnetic field
strength of an electromagnet can be changed
3. C send a current through the wire
4. Answers may vary but could include: the paper clip may have a plastic coating, the
battery could have lost charge or the wire could have become disconnected.
5. Answers may vary but should include the idea that the iron ball is attracted to the
horseshoe magnets but the attraction force is only strong enough to change its
movement as it rolls down the ramp, but does not allow the ball to become attached to
the magnet.
6. The linear pattern shows a positive association. The more coils, the more paper clips the
electromagnet attracts.
Answers may vary due to line of best fit.
# of Paper Clips
Electromagnet Strength
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
Δ𝑦 𝑦2 − 𝑦1 𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒
=
=
Δ𝑥 𝑥2 − 𝑥1 𝑟𝑢𝑛
31 − 8
23
=
60 − 20 40
= .575 𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 =
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Number of Coils
7. Answers may vary but could include: add more magnets, use larger magnets, use a
small sized launch ball or reinforce the magnets attachment to the wooden track to
reduce energy loss through magnet movement.
8. They are testing a solution to their design challenge. I know this because they must have
a prototype to be collecting data.
9. Jeff is correct because if they have not identified the problem the prototype might not
answer the question for the stakeholders.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 6
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix C: Related Articles

EMALS/ AAG: Electro-Magnetic Launch & Recovery for Carriers (1410L)
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/emals-electro-magnetic-launch-for-carriers05220/

Boing! New electromagnetic catapult hurls war planes into the sky (1540L)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2044609/Up-away-Newelectromagnetic-catapult-hurls-war-planes-sky.html

Electromagnetic launchers: Hurling objects with electrical energy is giving the
catapult a new lease of life (1240L)
http://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21598325-electromagneticlaunchers-hurling-objects-electrical-energy-giving

How Things Work: Electromagnetic Catapults (1410L)
http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/how-things-work-electromagneticcatapults-14474260/?no-ist
For the chosen article complete the following:
1. Determine the main idea of the text and write an objective summary of the text.
2. Identify at least three vocabulary terms that are essential to the main idea of the text.
Provide the definition of each term.
3. What questions do you have after reading the article?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 7
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
EMALS/ AAG: Electro-Magnetic Launch & Recovery for Carriers
Jul 19, 2015 23:00 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few
technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS (Electro-MAgnetic
Launch System) catapult. The question is whether that technology will be ready in time, in order
to avoid either costly delays to the program – or an even more costly redesign of the first ship of
class.
Current steam catapult technology is very entertaining when it launches cars more than 100 feet
off of a ship, or gives naval fighters the extra boost they need to achieve flight speed within a
launch footprint of a few hundred feet. It’s also stressful for the aircraft involved, very
maintenance intensive, and not really compatible with modern gas turbine propulsion systems.
At present, however, steam is the only option for launching supersonic jet fighters from carrier
decks. EMALS aims to leap beyond steam’s limitations, delivering significant efficiency savings,
a more survivable system, and improved effectiveness. This free-to-view spotlight article covers
the technology, the program, and its progress to date.
From Steam to Magnets: EMALS vs. Current Approaches
Current steam catapults use about 615 kg/ 1,350 pounds of steam for each aircraft launch,
which is usually delivered by piping it from the nuclear reactor. Now add the required hydraulics
and oils, the water required to brake the catapult, and associated pumps, motors, and control
systems. The result is a large, heavy, maintenance-intensive system that operates without
feedback control; and its sudden shocks shorten airframe lifespans for carrier-based aircraft.
To date, it has been the only option available. Hence its use on all full-size carriers.
EMALS (Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System) uses an approach analogous to an electromagnetic rail gun, in order to accelerate the shuttle that holds the aircraft. That approach
provides a smoother launch, while offering up to 30% more launch energy potential to cope with
heavier fighters. It also has far lower space and maintenance requirements, because it
dispenses with most of the steam catapult’s piping, pumps, motors, control systems, etc.
Ancillary benefits include the ability to embed diagnostic systems, for ease of maintenance with
fewer personnel on board.
EMALS’ problem is that it has become a potential bottleneck to the USA’s new carrier class. It
opportunity is that it may become the savior of Britain’s new carrier class.
The challenge is scaling a relatively new technology to handle the required weights and power.
EMALS motor generator weighs over 80,000 pounds, and is 13.5 feet long, almost 11 feet wide
and almost 7 feet tall. It’s designed to deliver up to 60 megajoules of electricity, and 60
megawatts at its peak. In the 3 seconds it takes to launch a Navy aircraft, that amount of power
could handle 12,000 homes. This motor generator is part of a suite of equipment called the
Energy Storage Subsystem, which includes the motor generator, the generator control tower
and the stored energy exciter power supply. The new Gerald R. Ford Class carriers will require
12 of each.
Because it’s such a big change, it’s a critical technology if the US Navy wishes to deliver its new
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 8
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
carrier class on-time and on-budget, and fulfill the CVN-21 program’s cost-saving promises. If
EMALS cannot deliver on time, or perform as advertised, the extensive redesign and additional
costs involved in adding steam catapult equipment throughout the ship could easily rise to
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Launches have begun, and the 2nd phase of EMALS aircraft compatibility testing is scheduled
to begin in 2012. Engineers will continue reliability testing through 2013, then perform
installation, checkout, and shipboard testing, with the goal of shipboard certification in 2015.
The related Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) sub-program will replace the current Mk 7
hydraulic system used to provide the requisite combination of plane-slowing firmness and
necessary flexibility to the carriers’ arresting wires. The winning AAG design replaces the
mechanical hydraulic ram with rotary engines, using energy-absorbing water turbines and a
large induction motor to provide fine control of the arresting forces. AAG is intended to allow
successful landings with heavier aircraft, reduce manning and maintenance, and add
capabilities like self-diagnosis and maintenance alerts. It will eventually be fitted to all existing
Nimitz class aircraft carriers, as well as the new Gerald R. Ford class.
EMALS was also set to play a pivotal role in the British CVF Queen Elizabeth Class, until the
window of opportunity shut in 2012. The F-35B’s ability to take off and land with full air-to-air
armament was already a matter of some concern in Britain before the 2010 strategic defense
review, which moved the heavier F-35C from “Plan B” for British naval aviation, to the Royal
Navy’s preferred choice.
An F-35C requires catapults, but the Queen Elizabeth Class carrier’s CODAG (COmbined
Diesel And Gas) propulsion doesn’t produce steam as a byproduct, the way nuclear-powered
carriers do. Instead, it produces a lot of electricity. Adding steam would require a huge redesign
in the middle of construction, and raise costs to a point that would sink the program entirely.
Instead, after commissioning some research of their own with British firms, they placed a formal
request to buy EMALS.
By 2012, however, the Royal Navy had discovered that adding catapults to its new carrier
design was much more difficult and expensive than BAE had led them to believe. In an
embarrassing climb-down, the government retreated back to the F-35B STOVL (short Take-Off,
Vertical Landing) fighter, and ended efforts to add catapults to its carriers.
For the article complete the following:
1. Determine the main idea of the text and write an objective summary of the text.
2. Identify at least three vocabulary terms that are essential to the main idea of the text.
Provide the definition of each term.
3. What questions do you have after reading the article?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 9
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Boing! New Electromagnetic Catapult Hurls War Planes Into The Sky
By ROB WAUGH
UPDATED: 07:09 EST, 3 October 2011
Aircraft carriers are terrifyingly high-tech machines - from the nuclear reactors that supply their
power, down to the computer-controlled firing systems that defend them from attack faster than
any human could react. But the lowest-tech link in the chain has always been the Fiftiesdesigned steam catapults used to hurl planes from the decks - until now.
A new electromagnetic catapult being trialed in the US is passing tests with flying colors - using
a kinetic energy storage system that can launch a huge 26-tonne plane, then recharge in 45
seconds. The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) is designed to be lighter, easier
to operate and faster than the current steam catapults - which are also in danger of being
outpaced by today's faster, heavier aircraft. Tests last week launched a 26-tonne Northrop
Grumman E2-D surveillance aircraft using the technology.
Captain James Donnelly, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment Program Office, PMA-251,
program manager, said 'Each launch we do provides more data and validation of the hard work
and efforts that have been put into this state-of-the-art technology.'
Steam catapults are a 50-year-old technology, invented by British engineers - the machines are
big, complex and heavy, and rely on building up more than half a ton of steam before each
launch.
The new electromagnetic systems are half the size and weight of steam-based systems, and
require less maintenance even when launching heavy planes. The current EMALS system can
launch planes at up to 200 knots - around 100mph. 'Newer, heavier and faster aircraft will result
in launch energy requirements approaching the limits of the steam catapult, increasing
maintenance on the system,' said the US Navy department behind the system.
'The system's technology allows for a smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds - and
the capability for launching all current and future carrier air wing platforms from lightweight
drones to heavy strike fighters.'
Britain's upcoming Queen Elizabeth class supercarriers, the first of which is due later this
decade, will need EMALS technology if they are to compete.
For the article complete the following:
1. Determine the main idea of the text and write an objective summary of the text.
2. Identify at least three vocabulary terms that are essential to the main idea of the text.
Provide the definition of each term.
3. What questions do you have after reading the article?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 10
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Catapulting Ahead
Electromagnetic Launchers: Hurling Objects with Electrical Energy is Giving the Catapult
a New Lease of Life
Mar 8th 2014
As a jet fighter screams away from the deck of an aircraft carrier a swirl of vapor trails from the
steam-driven catapult that launched it into the air. Catapults are an ancient technology,
developed from the crossbow for increased range and firepower. By the Middle Ages, they
could hurl rocks as big as 75kg (170 pounds) to batter castle walls. From using the kinetic
energy stored in twisted ropes and sinews to launch projectiles, catapults were developed using
hydraulics, gravity and air as propellants. Steam became a favorite with naval architects
because it was on tap, generated by the engines of ships. Now catapults are going electronic
and finding new military and civilian roles.
Despite their punch, the steam-driven catapults on aircraft carriers are not as powerful as some
would like. Even with their engines roaring, catapulted aircraft still need the extra airspeed
provided by turning the carrier into a headwind. If there is no wind, you must “crank the ship up”
to generate one by sailing faster, says a retired commander of a US Navy warship.
The US Navy is so impressed with the push delivered by its new catapult, the Electromagnetic
Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), that its next aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, is in effect
being built around it, says Captain James Donnelly, manager of the launcher. EMALS can
accelerate a heavy warplane to 180 knots (333kph)—about 30 knots faster than a steam
catapult. As the acceleration can be finely adjusted every millisecond, it produces smoother
launches, which are better for pilots and aircraft.
The system is being fine-tuned by General Atomics, a defense contractor, at an airfield in
Lakehurst, New Jersey. Just under the runway lies a nearly 100-metre array of electromagnets
straddled by a sliding, conductive armature. Precisely timed pulses of electricity create a wave
of magnetism, which rapidly pushes the armature along. The armature is connected to a shuttle
on the runway above, to which the aircraft’s nose wheel is hitched.
The technology is similar to the linear-induction motors employed in some high-speed trains
except; of course, trains are not expected to take off. The Lakehurst system can propel the
shuttle to the other end of the runway in just 2.4 seconds, says Mike Doyle, the program’s chief
technology officer. But it takes a lot of energy, more even than a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
can suddenly muster. Hence energy is stored kinetically in rapidly spinning rotors and released
to power generators whenever the catapult is fired.
Such kit is not cheap. The four-catapult system for the Gerald R. Ford has a price tag of some
$750m. But it eliminates all the tentacular plumbing of steam catapults and should cut crewing
and upkeep expenses by about $250m over its expected 50-year life, the retired commander
estimates. Being much lighter it will also make the aircraft carrier more stable, maneuverable
and cheaper to propel.
EMALS is costly partly because it has to be squeezed into the confines of an aircraft carrier.
Building such a system on land would be much cheaper. This leads some to wonder whether
catapults could be used to cut the costs of commercial flying. The engines on airliners guzzle
fuel on takeoff. Scott Forney, head of General Atomics’ electromagnetics business, says that he
has been approached by cargo airlines considering this. But could it be used to launch
passenger aircraft too?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 11
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Fasten your seat belts
Skeptics doubt civil airliners are strong enough to handle the stress of a catapult launch. Airbus,
Europe’s giant aircraft manufacturer, reckons this problem can be overcome by lengthening the
catapult along a runway and accelerating aircraft more slowly. That way only minor
reinforcements would be needed, says Charles Champion, head of engineering for Airbus. He
thinks electromagnetic catapults could be operating at civilian airports by around 2050.
Beside saving fuel, a catapult-assisted takeoff would also reduce noise and allow runways to be
shortened, reckons Mr. Champion. That could increase the capacity of airports.
The aircraft, of course, would also have to land on these shorter runways. Cables are used to
catch a tail-hook on planes landing on carriers. Something similar could be employed on
runways; arresting cables are already used on short runways at some military airbases. For civil
aircraft, though, it would be necessary to decelerate the landing more slowly so as not to jolt
passengers. The energy captured by the cables could be stored and reused for catapult
launches, suggests Mr. Champion.
Back to battle
Catapults are also making a comeback as a way to launch projectiles and missiles. Some naval
missiles are ejected with a burst of pressurized gas or a small booster charge before the rocket
in the missile ignites. This reduces the risk of a warhead detonating in the launch tube.
Launchers using linear-induction motors coiled inside a tube have been developed, but these
coil guns showed mixed results.
Another system, known as a rail gun, offers more promise. Inside the barrel of a rail gun is a
pair of parallel metal rails and a sliding conductive armature. The armature cradles the projectile
to be fired or, in some cases, is the projectile. When electrical energy accumulated in a bank of
capacitors is rapidly pulsed into the rail, it creates an instantaneous magnetic field, which flings
the armature out with explosive force (see picture). A rail gun can hurl a slug of metal much
farther than artillery can and at speeds far exceeding those of missiles. The slugs destroy things
with the force of their impact rather than detonating an explosive warhead.
The US Navy’s rail gun program, aptly named Velocitas Eradico—“I Who Am Speed, Destroy” in
Latin—has made brisk progress since it began in 2005. Working primarily with General Atomics
and Britain’s BAE Systems, the muzzle energy of shots has increased from six to 32
megajoules, enough to hammer targets beyond 160km (99 miles) at more than five times the
speed of sound (sound travels at about 1,230kph), reckons Nevin Carr, a retired rear-admiral
and former head of America’s Office of Naval Research.
The slugs can be heavy. General Atomics has produced a rail gun able to hurl a 10kg projectile
more than 200km in less than six minutes (that’s 2,000kph). Some slugs fly
fast enough to hit a target 30km away with a straight trajectory, says John Finkenaur, a rail gun
expert at Raytheon, another defense contractor. Slugs are cheaper than missiles and, lacking
propellant and explosives, are safer to store.
Rail guns, though, can be awkward. They get hot and wear rapidly. Some rail guns had to be
dismantled after two or three shots to make sure components were holding up. Now some can
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 12
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
handle 100 shots and computer models suggest this might be multiplied six fold, giving rail gun
barrels roughly the same lifespan as five-inch naval guns, says Mr. Carr.
This greater durability is due in part to better x-ray and ultrasound diagnostics for inspecting
new alloys used in the construction of rail guns, and improved cooling techniques. Some
research groups with highly effective cooling systems are clocking up “velocities they can’t talk
about”, says Alexander Zielinski, a former rail gun designer at the US Army Research Lab in
Maryland. An added advantage of cooler rail guns is that they are harder to attack with heatseeking missiles.
Researchers have managed to fire slugs containing sensors and an explosive charge to
generate shrapnel in mid-air. This would help rail guns smash incoming missiles. Keeping the
electronics and explosives intact at launch requires “shaping” the energy as it is delivered to the
projectile so that it accelerates a little more gently, says a former US defense official. It requires
a long barrel, and some rail gun barrels already extend more than ten meters.
Work funded by DARPA, a Pentagon research agency, has also led to an electromagnetic
mortar. Designed like a rail gun and powered by electricity generated by a vehicle, its range is
twice that of the roughly 8km reached by conventional mortars, says Harry Fair, founder of the
group behind the project at the University of Texas, Austin. Neither it nor a coil gun-mortar
designed by Sandia National Laboratories is in volume production. Nevertheless, such work
points to electromagnetic weapons spreading beyond the navy.
General Atomics is building a wheeled rail gun for sale to land forces, and researchers in China
are trying to produce one that can shoot slugs at 2.5km per second. At greater speeds the
friction from air deforms the projectile’s aerodynamic profile, which can cause it to stray off
course.
There are uses beyond weapons. Some at NASA, America’s space agency, have argued for a
mountaintop rail gun to help lob payloads into space. Chemical rockets would still be needed to
accelerate the vehicle to orbital speed and to maneuver it. Many consider the concept “out there
on the edge”, says Douglas Witherspoon of HyperV Technologies, a Virginia firm that
investigated the possibility by building a tabletop launcher using a spiral-shaped rail gun called
Slingatron.
HyperV is, though, making progress with another exotic rail gun. Rather than use metal as an
armature, the firm strips ions from a few milligrams of argon gas and uses the resulting
conductive plasma to transfer electrical energy from one rail to another. In a vacuum it can fire a
plasma blob at nearly 150km a second—fast enough to initiate fusion in a deuterium and tritium
fuel. HyperV hopes to use it to design the world’s first commercially viable, power-generating
fusion reactor.
Whether or not the firm succeeds, there are plenty of down-to-earth ideas about what to
do with electromagnetic catapults. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of PayPal, Tesla Motors
and SpaceX, has proposed using them to propel passenger pods at more than 1,200kph along
an elevated track between Los Angeles and San Francisco. More prosaically, IAP Research, a
technology-development company based in Dayton, Ohio, has come up with something for the
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 13
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
handyman. With funding from a toolmaker it has produced a prototype electromagnetic gun that
drives nails into concrete. Dave Bauer, the firm’s founder, expects it to be in hardware stores
within a couple of years.
For the article complete the following:
1. Determine the main idea of the text and write an objective summary of the text.
2. Identify at least three vocabulary terms that are essential to the main idea of the text.
Provide the definition of each term.
3. What questions do you have after reading the article?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 14
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
How Things Work: Electromagnetic Catapults
From zero to 150 in less than a second.
US Navy)
By Tim Wright
AIR & SPACE MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2007
George Sulich stands astride one of two 333-foot-long steam-powered catapults aimed down
the runway at the U.S. Naval Air Warfare center in Lakehurst, New Jersey.
The catapults, identical to those that launch airplanes aboard Navy carriers, are used to tweak
and test the 1950s launch technology. But Sulich’s interest lies a few steps away, in a concreteand-steel trench more than 300 feet long, where a new catapult, also aimed down the runway, is
under construction. When complete in 2008, it will be the first catapult to use electro-magnetics
to launch manned aircraft.
As the Navy’s project manager for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS),
Sulich’s task is to move the newest catapult technology from development at the research
facility to ships at sea. A key instrument in the transition is the 1:12-scale model of an
electromagnetic catapult, bolted to the concrete floor inside the lab. In place of a ship’s deck,
the model is embedded in a knee-high metal casing about 60 feet long, with a narrow slot a few
inches deep that runs along the top. An aluminum block rests snugly in one end of the slot. If an
aircraft were part of the model, its nosewheel landing gear would be attached to the aluminum
block. When the power is turned on, a wave of electromagnetic force silently shoots the
aluminum block to the opposite end of the model at a speed of 60 mph. After a few keystrokes
on a computer, the electromagnetic wave travels in reverse, gently returning the aluminum block
to its starting position.
As the 21st century dawns, steam catapults are running out of steam. Massive systems that
require significant manpower to operate and maintain, they are reaching the limits of their
abilities, especially as aircraft continue to gain weight. Electromagnetic catapults will require
less manpower to operate and improve reliability; they should also lengthen aircraft service life
by being gentler on airframes.
The amount of steam needed to launch an airplane depends on the craft’s weight, and once a
launch has begun, adjustments cannot be made: If too much steam is used, the nose wheel
landing gear, which attaches to the catapult, can be ripped off the aircraft. If too little steam is
used, the aircraft won’t reach takeoff speed and will tumble into the water. The launch control
system for electromagnetic catapults, on the other hand, will know what speed an aircraft should
have at any point during the launch sequence, and can make adjustments during the process to
ensure that an aircraft will be within 3 mph of the desired takeoff speed.
The scale model in the Lakehurst lab is a linear induction motor, an efficient way to generate
thrust with a minimum of moving parts. Shipboard electromagnetic catapults will be based on
larger linear induction motors, made up of three main parts: two 300-foot-long stationary beams,
or stators, spaced a couple of inches apart, and a 20-foot-long carriage, or shuttle, that is
sandwiched between the two beams and can slide back and forth along their lengths.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 15
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Each beam is made up of dozens of segments. Running down the spaces alongside the two
beams, in sealed housings, is the wiring needed to energize them and turn them into an
electromagnetic force to propel the carriage. Selectively turning on and off each beam’s
segments generates an attractive magnetic force at the carriage’s leading edge and a repulsive
magnetic force at its rear. At no point are all the beam’s segments simultaneously activated;
instead, only those segments near the moving carriage are energized, creating the effect of a
magnetic wave.
The interface between carriage and airplane runs through the aircraft’s nose wheel landing
gear, using the same hardware employed by the current steam catapult system. After hooking
up to the carriage, aircraft are electro-magnetically pushed and pulled down the catapult until
airborne. After releasing an aircraft at speeds approaching 200 mph, the carriage will come to a
stop in only 20 feet, its forward movement countered by reversing the push-pull electromagnetic
forces of the two beams. The same energy is then used to return the carriage to its starting
position.
An electromagnetic catapult can launch every 45 seconds. Each three-second launch can
consume as much as 100 million watts of electricity, about as much as a small town uses in the
same amount of time. “A utility does that using an acre of equipment,” says lab engineer Mike
Doyle, but due to shipboard space limitations, “we have to take that and fit it into a shoebox.” In
shipboard generators developed for electromagnetic catapults, electrical power is stored
kinetically in rotors spinning at 6,400 rpm. When a launch order is given, power is pulled from
the generators in a two- to three-second pulse, like a burst of air being let out of a balloon. As
power is drawn off, the generators slow down and the amount of electricity they produce
steadily drops. But in the remaining 42 seconds between launches, the rotors spin back up to
capacity, readying themselves to release another burst of energy.
Working from the scale model in the Naval Air Warfare lab, designers developed the electronic
hardware and software needed to build an EMALS prototype, which can accelerate dead-weight
test articles (massive metal frames on wheels) to 165 mph in three-quarters of a second on a
track just 100 feet long.
Care has been taken to make the launch process as similar as possible to current steam
systems to help launch crews ease into the new technology. Pilots, as they position their aircraft
for a catapult shot, won’t be able to tell if they are launching with electromagnetics unless they
happen to notice the absence of steam escaping from the deck.
Electromagnetic catapult technology already has the ability to launch any aircraft now in the
Navy inventory and any the Navy has ordered. With the new launch system’s potential to
achieve acceleration forces reaching 14 Gs, human endurance may be one of the few
limitations it faces.
For the article complete the following:
1. Determine the main idea of the text and write an objective summary of the text.
2. Identify at least three vocabulary terms that are essential to the main idea of the text.
Provide the definition of each term.
3. What questions do you have after reading the article?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 16
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix D: Career Concept Map
A person with a STEM career uses his or her knowledge of science, technology, engineering,
and math to help solve problems. Did you know that STEM graduates can find work as health
care practitioners, teachers, farmers, engineers, managers, CEOs, and even writers or artists?
STEM careers are concentrated in the following fields:
 Agriculture, Agricultural Operations, and Related Sciences
 Computer and Informational Sciences and Support Services
 Engineering and Engineering Technologies
 Biological and Biomedical Sciences
 Mathematics and Statistics
 Physical Sciences and Technologies
Do you know what STEM career you might be interested in pursuing? In this activity you will
have a chance to research a STEM career of your choice.
One way to organize and present information is a concept map. In this activity you will
create a concept map of a STEM career. Possible career choices include: mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, physicist and chemist.
Equipment


Reference materials
Computer with word processing and Internet capability
Procedure
In this activity you will investigate a STEM career. The concept map you will create (using
Lucid Chart https://www.lucidchart.com or similar program will highlight the responsibilities,
salary range, best location, education requirements, and future demands for this type of
career.
1. Select a STEM career that you want to learn more about. Research the career through
the internet or other sources. Record the required information.
2. Create a concept map that highlights the information that you collected on your career.
Make sure to include the following.







What type of work do people in this career perform?
What is the current salary of this occupation?
What are the working conditions? Inside/Outside? Office/Plant/Lab?
What are the major job responsibilities?
Is there a demand for this job in the future?
What kind of education is needed for this type of work?
Name 3-4 related careers.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 17
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Conclusion
1. What impact do you think STEM professionals will have on your future?
2. Do you think you’d be interested in pursuing a career in STEM? Why or why not?
3. What concentration of STEM fields do you feel you would be the most interested in
pursuing? Why?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 18
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix E: Engineering Design Process Graphic
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 19
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix F: Engineering Design Challenge with Rubric
Engineering Design Challenge
In order to achieve a successful lift-off, an airplane needs to reach a specific velocity within a
specific distance. Large passenger jet liners must accelerate to a speed upwards of 200 mph
before lift-off. Airplane runways are typically a minimum of 6,000 ft. in length in order to give
large passenger jet liners enough distance to reach this speed.
In order to cut down on fuel costs and airport runway lengths, commercial airline companies are
looking for a way to accelerate their planes faster and more efficiently by using magnetic forces.
Multiple examples on the use of magnetic force to move objects have been presented in class.
Your team’s challenge is to engineer a device to move a payload a distance of 2.5 meters in the
fastest time possible. One of the forces involved in the movement of the payload created must
be magnetic force. During the design process, data will be collected and utilized to make
informed design decisions.
The following will materials available:
Meter sticks
Ball bearings
(various sizes)
Masking tape
Duct tape
Bar magnets
Wand magnets
Tin foil
Felt
Plastic wrap
Wax paper
Ruler
Stopwatch
Plastic tubing
Cylindrical
magnets
Neodymium
magnets
Graph paper
Sand Paper
Bubble wrap
Other materials
approved by the
teacher
(suggested by the
student).
You will need to collect the following data:






Number of magnets used in each design
Distance between magnets in each design
The number/size of ball bearings used in each design
The amount of time it takes the payload to travel 2.5 meters
Mass of the payload
The different forces used design
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 20
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Design Notes:
 Collect all data in a data table
 Include at least one line graph demonstrating average speed of payload
 Include a video of a successful design
Be sure to keep detailed notes on each design, the results of each test, what worked,
what did not work, and why. The information collected will be used to guide engineering
decision for the next design the team constructs. Use the included Design Notes to
guide this process.
Attached is the evaluation rubric. Remember – this experience is about the process not
just the end results.
Video/Demo
of design in
action
Data
Collection
Speed
Calculations
and Line
Graph
4
Video/demo
demonstrated
evidence that
the design
challenge was
accomplished
and was/can
be repeated
multiple times.
3
Video/demo
demonstrated
evidence that
the design
challenge was
accomplished
however it
may not be
repeated
multiple times.
Data is
collected for
each design
and used to
influence
design
decisions for
the next
design
The average
speed of the
payload is
accurately
recorded and
used to create
a line graph.
Data is
collected for
all designs but
only some
data is used to
influence the
next design
The average
speed of the
payload I
mostly
accurately
recorded and
used to create
a line graph.
2
Video/demo
was
attempted but
design
challenge
displayed
some flaws
and it may
not be
repeated
multiple
times.
Data is
collected but
very little is
used to
influence
design
decisions.
Some data is
missing
The average
speed of the
payload is
inaccurately
recorded and
used to
create a line
graph.
1
Video/demo
demonstrates
little/no
evidence of
design
challenge.
Some data is
collected but
no data is
used to
influence
design
decisions
The average
speed of the
payload is not
completely
recorded or
used to create
a line graph.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 21
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix G: Engineering Design Challenge Roles
Leads the team in the
Construction Battalion Chief
construction/building of the
magnetic launch system following
_______________________
the design plan developed by the
Name
civil engineer.
Civil Engineer
_________________________
Name
Research Scientist
________________________
Name
Public Affairs Lieutenant
_________________________
Name
Leads the team in the designing
of the project and translating the
idea onto paper. Ensures that the
design is complete and thorough,
containing all necessary
measurements and structural
details. Evaluates materials
available and leads the team in
using those materials in the most
efficient way. Oversees safety,
quality control, and environmental
concerns.
Leads the team in the research
necessary to begin construction
of a magnetic launch system.
Determines a method in which to
use the materials available in an
efficient and responsible manner
for the project to be successful.
Leads the team in developing a
multimedia presentation that
accurately conveys vital
information related to the design
construction and research to the
public (class) addressing the
benefits the research holds for
them. (Why do they care?)
Records important data/notes
throughout the design process to
aid in the presentation.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 22
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix H: Design Brief
Design Team:
Problem Statement:
(Define the problem
you intend to solve.
[Who] needs [what]
because [why])
Design Requirements
and Constraints:
Design Description:
(Describe your solution
to the problem in
detail.)
Deliverables:
(List everything you
must submit to your
customer.)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 23
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix I: Peer Evaluation Sheet
Name: ______________________________
Job Key:
Presentation
Presentation
Preparation
Build, Test,
Redesign
Design
Proposal
Team Member’s
Name
Magnetic
Stations
Jobs
Team
Formation/
Design Brief
CBC = Construction Battalion Chief
CE = Civil Engineer
RS = Research Scientist
PAL = Public Affairs Lieutenant
CBC
CE
RS
PAL
To rate your peers, put a number 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 for each team member underneath
each column after completing each major component of the engineering design
challenge.
1 = Not prepared at all, no participation in group discussion, no effort, no evidence of
understanding the job assignment
3 = Minimal effort, participated a little, job not very complete
5 = Total participation, had all materials, job very complete, clear evidence the person
did the job
(Use a 2 or a 4 if a member is in between two descriptions)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 24
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix J: Magnetic Station Task Cards
Station 1: Electromagnet
Materials:






Iron nails of various sizes
About 3 feet of THIN COATED copper wire
A fresh D size battery
Paper clips or other small magnetic objects
A wire cutter/stripper
Electrical tapDirections:
1. Leave about 8 inches of wire loose at one end and wrap most of the rest of the wire
around the nail. Try not to overlap the wires.
2. Cut the wire (if needed) so that there is about another 8 inches loose at the other end
too.
3. Now remove about an inch of the plastic coating from both ends of the wire and attach
one exposed wire to one end of a battery and the other exposed wire to the other end of
the battery. Tape the wires to the battery using electrical tape.
4. You have made an ELECTROMAGNET! Put the point of the nail near a few paper clips
and it should pick them up!
5. Making an electromagnet uses up the battery quickly. This is why the battery may get
warm. Disconnect the wires when you are done exploring.
6. Repeat the experiment using a different thickness/length of nail or number of coils.
Respond in Answer Document:
 Does the number of times you wrap the wire around the nail affect the strength of the
nail?
 Does the thickness or length of the nail affect the electromagnets strength?
CAUTION: The battery and wires may become very hot. Disconnect the wires from
the battery if the electromagnet is too hot to handle.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 25
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 2: Magnetic Linear Accelerator
Materials:
 Wooden ruler that has a groove in the top in which a steel ball can roll easily
 Tape
 Four ½ inch neodymium cube magnets
 Nine steel balls
 Approximately 5 pieces of Hot Wheels style track
 Tape measure
Directions:
1. Tape the first magnet to the ruler at the 2.5 inch mark. The distance is somewhat
arbitrary – make sure to get all four magnets on a one-foot ruler. Feel free to experiment
with the spacing later
(MiniScience.com)
2. Continue taping the magnets to the ruler, leaving 2.5 inches between the magnets, until
all four magnets are taped to the ruler.
(MiniScience.com)
3. To the right of each magnet, place two steel balls.
4. Connect approximately 5 connected lengths of Hot Wheel style tracks to the top of a
desk. Tape the opposite end of the track to the floor to create a secure ramp.
5. Test the linear accelerator to make sure the rocketed ball bearing doesn’t travel
farther than the length of the track. To launch the linear accelerator, set a steel ball in
the groove to the left of the leftmost magnet. Let the ball go. If it is close enough to
the magnet, it will start rolling by itself, and hit the magnet. Add more track pieces to
the ramp if necessary.
6. Complete three trials using the 4-magnet linear accelerator. Record the distance the
ball bearing travels up the ramp in your answer document.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 26
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
(MiniScience.com)
7. Create another linear accelerator, this time only using one magnet. This design will
require three ball bearings.
8. Repeat steps 1-6.
How does it do that? Read the following and response in your answer document by
drawing to define the four underlined vocabulary words.
The kinetic energy of the ball is transferred to the magnet, and then to the ball that is touching it
on the right, and then to the ball that is touching that one. This transfer of kinetic energy is
familiar to billiards players -- when the cue ball hits another ball, the cue ball stops and the other
ball speeds off.
The third ball is now moving with a kinetic energy of 1 unit. But it is moving towards the second
magnet. It picks up speed as the second magnet pulls it closer. When it hits the second magnet,
it is moving nearly twice as fast as the first ball.
The third ball hits the magnet, and the fifth ball starts to move with a kinetic energy of 2 units. It
speeds up as it nears the third magnet, and hits with 3 units of kinetic energy. This causes the
seventh ball to speed off towards the last magnet. As it gets drawn to the last magnet, it speeds
up to 4 units of kinetic energy.
The kinetic energy is now transferred to the last ball, which speeds off at 4 units, to hit the
target.
When the device is all set up and ready to be launched, we can see that there are four balls that
are touching their magnets. These balls are at what physicists call the "ground state". It takes
energy to move them away from the magnets.
But each of these balls has another ball touching it. These second balls are not at the ground
state. They are each their own diameter from a magnet. They are easier to move than the balls
that are touching the magnet.
The more units of magnets added to the accelerator, the faster the rocketed ball bearing will
travel.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 27
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 3: Magnetic Fields 2-D
Materials:
 Two bar magnets
 Film canister of iron filings with a tiny hole punched in the top
 Petri dish with lid
 Compass
Directions:
1. On your answer document trace one of the bar magnets. Make sure to label the north
and south poles.
2. Move the compasses from one pole to the other and notice how the compass behaves.
3. Move the compass to different points around the magnet. On you answer document, add
arrows to your bar magnet drawing that the direction the compass points at each
location.
4. Link the arrows together by continuous lines to try and show the magnetic field.
5. Place the petri dish on top of the bar magnet on the table. Sprinkle a small quantity of
iron filings into the petri dish and place the lid back on it. It may be necessary to gently
tap or jiggle the petri dish. The filings will line themselves up with the magnetic field
lines.
6. Sketch the pattern that the filings make on your answer document.
N
S
7. Repeat the previous step for two bar magnets with like poles facing each other, such as
N and N or S and S, and with unlike poles facing each other. Sketch the pattern of the
filings in both situations.
N
N
N
S
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 28
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 4: Magnetic Fields 3-D
Materials:
 Two bar magnets
 Horseshoe magnet
 Jar of iron filings in oil
Directions:
1. Vigorously shake the jar of iron filings. Select a horseshoe magnet and bring the poles
of the magnet near the jar and observe carefully.
2. Place the horseshoe magnet at other locations around the jar. Observe how the filings
line up and sketch the pattern in your answer document.
3. Re-shake the jar of iron filings. Select a bar magnet and bring one pole of the magnet
near the jar and observe carefully.
4. Place the bar magnet at other locations around the jar. Observe how the filings line up
and sketch the pattern in your answer document.
5. Based on your observations, try and sketch the three-dimensional field that the bar
magnet creates.
Hint: Think of the ribbings of an umbrella coming out
of one of the poles as a starting point.
N
S
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 29
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 5: Spring Scale
Materials:
 Spring scale
 Various classroom objects
Background Knowledge:
A spring scale measures force. It can measure
weight, which is the force of gravity on an object.
It can also measure the amount of force
necessary to overcome inertia, which is the
object’s resistance to moving.
A spring scale can measures the amount of
force necessary to move an object at a constant
speed. The handle of the spring scale hook can
be used to pull an object to measure force or
hang an object to measure force. The spring
scale measures force or weight in N (Newtons).
The other side of the scale measures mass in
grams.
Directions:
1. First, check the scale to be certain that it
reads zero. Adjust the screw on the top of
the scale if needed.
2. Hang various objects on the scale and
record their weights in grams and their
force and weight in Newtons.
3. Try pulling an object across the lab table
and practice reading the scale.
Respond in Answer Document:

What is the relationship
between grams and Newtons?

How many Newtons of force would 200 grams apply?

What would the mass of an object that weighs 7 N on Earth?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 30
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 6: Which Way is North?
Materials:
 One pair of donut magnets for each group member
 String
 Tape
 Compass
Directions:
1. Put the end of a string between two ring magnets and hang them from the edge of the
table.
2. Keep the magnets about a meter or more apart and away from metal chairs and/or table
legs.
3. Stop the magnets from spinning and let them come to rest. In which direction do the
holes of your magnet point?
Hint: Imagine you were sticking your arm through the holes,
which cardinal direction would your arm point?
4. Turn the magnet slightly and then let it turn by itself until it comes to rest again. In which
direction do the holes point now?
5. Move the magnet over to the other side of the table. In which direction do the holes point
now?
6. Check out your group member’s suspended magnets. In which direction do their holes
point?
7. Using a compass, what do you notice about the alignment of the compass and how the
magnet holes pointed? Explain your answer.
8. Read the following and discuss the important topics and terms with your lab partner.
Various cultures noticed this alignment of magnets with the North and South poles of the
Earth. Europeans had previously adopted the North Star as a navigational tool and saw the
magnetic needle of a compass as a way to locate the North Star when it was not visible.
Europeans used a naturally occurring magnetic substance called a lodestone. Needles like
loadstones were used for navigation by suspending them on the surface of a liquid and allowing
them to freely rotate. The Chinese also used lodestones for navigation. They carved them into
spoon shapes, which rotated on a non-magnetic base.
You are currently standing on top of a large magnet, which we call Earth. The magnetic field
is created by the flow of electrical charges deep inside the core. Like all magnets, it has a north
and a south pole. It is so massive that every loose magnet on earth is attracted or repelled from
its poles. Due to gravity and friction, you do not often see formations of magnets flying north and
south to the poles. However, if little magnets are allowed to freely turn, they will turn to face the
poles.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 31
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix K: Magnetic Station Answer Document
Name: ______________________________
Station 1: Electromagnet
1. Does the number of times you wrap the wire around the nail affect the strength
of the nail?
2. Does the thickness or length of the nail affect the electromagnets strength?
3. Does the thickness of the wire affect the power of the electromagnet?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 32
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 2: Magnetic Linear Accelerator
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
4-Magnet
Linear
Accelerator
1-Magnet
Linear
Accelerator
Draw to Define It!
Respond to this task by creating a drawing that demonstrates the meaning of each of the
words below.

Kinetic Energy:

Transfer:

Physicist:

Ground State:
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 33
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 3: Magnetic Fields 2-D

Bar magnet tracing with arrows (steps 1-4):

Bar magnet tracing with iron filings (steps 5-6):

Bar magnet/iron filing drawing with like poles (step 7):

Bar magnet/iron filing drawing with unlike poles (step 7):
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 34
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 4: Magnetic Fields 3-D

Horseshoe magnet/iron filings drawing (steps 1-2):

Bar magnet/iron filings drawing (steps 3-4):

Bar magnet/iron filing 3-D sketch (step 5):
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 35
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 5: Spring Scale
1. What is the relationship between grams and Newtons?
2. How many Newtons of force would 200 grams apply?
3. What would be the mass of an object that weighs 7N on Earth?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 36
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 6: Which Way is North?
1. Like poles _________, while unlike poles _________. (attract or repel)
2. If you attach a magnet to a string so that the magnet is free to rotate, you will see that
one end of the magnet will point
a. north
b. southwest
c. east
d. west
3. Magnetic poles always occur
a. alone.
b. in pairs.
c. in threes.
d. in fours.
4. The Earth behaves like a large magnet. True or False: Circle one
5. Magnets are like charges, since there are two types poles and two types of charge True
or False: Circle one
6. Magnetic field lines flow…
a. in no recognizable pattern.
b. from one pole to another.
c. from the center of a magnet outwards.
d. from the poles to the center of the magnet.
7. The strongest region of a magnet can be found at…
a. its center.
b. both of its poles.
c. only its North Pole.
d. only its South Pole
8. Dropping a temporary magnet is a great way to magnetize it. True or False: Circle
one
9. Magnets that can be magnetized and demagnetized are called…
a. permanent. b. temporary. c. metals
d. lodestones
Sketch the domains for a magnetized nail below.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 37
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix L: Magnetic Station Answer Document Key
Name: ______________________________
Station 1: Electromagnet
1.
Does the number of times you wrap the wire around the nail affect the strength of the
nail?
The strength is directly proportional to the number of turns or coils.
2.
Does the thickness or length of the nail affect the electromagnet’s strength?
The more complete the circuit formed by the iron, the more field that you will get for a
given coil and current. The best way to do a simple magnet is to have an iron core
shaped like a "C". The gap formed by the "C" should be as small as possible. In our lab
you won’t observe a difference.
3.
Does the thickness of the wire affect the power of the electromagnet?
Thicker wires increase the strength of the electromagnet as higher current passes
through a thicker wire.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 38
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Station 2: Magnetic Linear Accelerator
Draw to Define It!
Respond to this task by creating a drawing that demonstrates the meaning of each of the
words below.

Kinetic Energy: Answers may vary but should express that kinetic energy is energy
of motion.

Transfer: Answers may vary but should express that energy can transfer from one
object to another.

Physicist: Answers may vary but should express that physicists are scientists who
study matter and the motion of matter.

Ground State: Answers may vary but should express that ground state is the state of
least possible energy in a system.
Station 3: Magnetic Fields 2-D

Bar magnet tracing with arrows (steps 1-4):

Bar magnet tracing with iron filings (steps 5-6):
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 39
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets

Bar magnet/iron filing drawing with like poles (step 7):

Bar magnet/iron filing drawing with unlike poles (step 7):
Station 4: Magnetic Fields 3-D

Horseshoe magnet/iron filings drawing (steps 1-2):
(A School of Fish, 2014)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 40
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets

Bar magnet/iron filings drawing (steps 3-4):

Bar magnet/iron filing 3-D sketch (step 5):
(Everything Maths & Science)
Station 5: Spring Scale
1. What is the relationship between grams and Newtons?
As grams increase, Newtons increase.
The gravitational field strength on the Earth's surface is 9.8N/kg.
This means that a mass of 1kg (1000g) will have a weight of 9.8N on the Earth's surface.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 41
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
If W is the weight in Newtons and m the mass in grams then
W = (m/1000)*g where g is the gravitational field strength = 9.8N/kg on the Earth's
surface).
This means that:
m = 1000W/g or Weight = Mass x Gravity (9.8)
2. How many Newtons of force would 200 grams apply?
First, divide by 1000 and then multiply by 9.8
200 divided by 1000 = .2
.2 times 9.8 = 1.96 N
3. What would be the mass of an object that weighs 7N on Earth?
Newtons are weight, Kg are mass.
Weight = Mass X 9.8 (on earth)
N = Kg X 9.8
N/9.8 = Kg
So, divide your Netwons by 9.8 to get the weight.
7 divided by 9.8 = .71kg
Station 6: Which Way is North?
1. Like poles attract, while unlike poles repel. (attract or repel)
2. If you attach a magnet to a string so that the magnet is free to rotate, you will see that
one end of the magnet will point
a. north
b. southwest
c. east
d. west
3. Magnetic poles always occur
a. alone.
b. in pairs.
c. in threes.
d. in fours.
4. The Earth behaves like a large magnet. True or False: Circle one
5. Magnets are like charges, since there are two types poles and two types of charge True
or False: Circle one
6. Magnetic field lines flow…
a. in no recognizable pattern.
b. from one pole to another.
c. from the center of a magnet outwards.
d. from the poles to the center of the magnet.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 42
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
7. The strongest region of a magnet can be found at…
a. its center.
b. both of its poles.
c. only its North Pole.
d. only its South Pole
8. Dropping a temporary magnet is a great way to magnetize it. True or False: Circle
one
9. Magnets that can be magnetized and demagnetized are called…
a. permanent. b. temporary. c. metals
d. lodestones
10. Sketch the domains for a magnetized nail below.
(iStackImgur)
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 43
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix M: Magnetic Station Reflection Questions
Name: ___________________________
After you complete the stations in class answer the questions below. Make sure to write
in complete sentences and use proper, scientific language (no slang!)
Reflection Questions
Electromagnet
In what ways can an electromagnetic be strengthened? Identify at least two possible
changes and explain their effects.
Magnetic Linear Accelerator
Using the following vocabulary; kinetic energy, transferred, physicists, and ground state
write a scientific description of how the magnetic linear accelerator worked for a student
that was absent.
Magnetic Fields 2-D
Think about the phrase, “opposites attract.” How does this common phrase apply to
magnets and their poles?
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 44
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Magnetic Fields 3-D
Compare and contrast the position of iron filings in the oil with the bar magnet versus
the horseshoe magnet. Hypothesize the cause of these differences.
Spring Scale
Describe a situation that you would use a spring scale instead of a balance?
Which Way is North?
Describe what it is about the Earth that caused ancient cultures to discover that their
compass needles or lodestones were attracted to magnetic North.
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 45
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix N: How Does the Number of Magnets Affect the Speed of a
Magnetic Linear Accelerator?
Directions: Use the information from Logger Pro to compare a 1-magnet linear accelerator and
a 4-magnet linear accelerator by completing the questions below. When working with numbers
generated from Logger Pro, round to the nearest hundredth.
Part 1: Find a Line of Best Fit
1. For each graph, choose two points to connect by drawing a straight line through them.
Extend the line across all points. This line should generally follow the path created by all
of the points plotted on the graph.
2. How would you describe the linear pattern created by the points plotted on the graph?
How does the distance the ball bearing traveled change as more time passes?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Part 2: Find the Slope of the Line
1. Use the following formula to find the slope for the lines you created:
Slope=
Δ𝑦
Δ𝑥
=
y2−y1
x2−x1
=
𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒
𝑟𝑢𝑛
1-magnet linear accelerator:
4-magnet linear accelerator:
Part 3: Analyzing Results
1. How many meters per second faster did the 4-magnet linear accelerator ball bearing
travel than the 1-magnet linear accelerator ball bearing?
______________________________________________________________
2. How does adding magnets to a linear accelerator affect the speed of a ball bearing?
______________________________________________________________
Draft: 5/6/2017
Page 46
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix O: Decision Analysis Matrix
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets Decision Analysis
Matrix
Factors/Criteria
Design
Goals
Weight
Design #1
Design #2
Design #3
Design #4
Design #5
Ranking: Assign a score to each design idea for a particular criterion. Use the scale numbers below.
BEST
4
WORST
3
Draft: 5/6/2017
2
1
Page 47
Total
Score
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Decision Analysis Techniques in Engineering Design
Method of Weighted Factors
Margaret Pinnell, PhD
This method of decision analysis can be used whenever a difficult choice must be made
such as choosing a college or a certain product, etc. Step-by-step instructions for using
this method as a tool for assessing design plan ideas are provided below.
Identifying the objectives and constraints for a particular topic can assist in make a final
decision. Safety should always be on the list, but some other items might include
aesthetics, cost, ease of maintenance, performance (ability to function as intended),
recyclability, etc.
Instructions for Using the Matrix:
1. Determine the relative importance of each of these objectives and constraints, and rank them
from 1 – 10 with 10 being the most important and 1 being of little importance (may be nice to
have, but doesn’t really matter). All constraints will be rated a 10.
2. As a team, discuss each conceptual design, and rank the designs from 1-n in its ability to meet
the identified objectives or constraints. For example, if you are analyzing three different designs,
you will rank those designs from 1-3, with 3 being the best and 1 being the least. In some cases,
the designs may have equal performance and they might get the same rating, an example of this
is shown below.
3. For each design, multiply the attributed (objective or constraint) weighting factor by the rank, and
add up a total score.
4. The design that has the highest score may be considered the “best.” Keep in mind though, that
there is a significant amount of subjectivity to this approach, so if two designs have very close
values, you may want to consider these designs a little more deeply.
An example is provided below for purchasing a car. This was done through the eyes of a college student
who is looking for a new car to transport her from home to school. The ranking was done without any
research, but certainly actual values could be obtained from reliable resources regarding relative safety,
cost, gas mileage etc. If this information is available, this research should be done, but this is just a quick
example. The college student, with input from her parents, identified the following factors that would help
her decide which car to purchase. They decided that safety was, by far, the most important factor.
Since this was for a college student, cost-related issues including price of the car, cost of
upkeep/maintenance and gas mileage were all very important as well. The student didn’t really have
more than a suitcase that she would need to carry, so cargo room was not that important, but would be
nice to have in case she did have some larger things to bring home. Also, since she only needed the car
to last her through her 4 (or 5) years in college, the “life span” of the car was only marginally important.
The college student protested regarding aesthetics, after all, she wanted a cool ride, so aesthetics were
pretty important to the student. The student considered three cars available at a dealer close to her
home.
Page 48
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Resultant Sheet:
Decision Analysis Matrix
1. Fill in your design objectives. After all group members have presented their design ideas, use the numerical system below to score
each design against the constraints and objectives.
3 = totally meets the goal
2 = somewhat meets the goal
1 = does not meet the goal
2. Add the values for each design to determine a total score. The design with the highest score may be considered the “best.” Keep in
mind though, that some of the scoring is based on opinion, so if two designs have close values, you may want to consider these
designs a little more deeply, or combine their best attributes.
Goals
(Constraints and Objectives)
Car 3
Car 2
Car 1
Value
Score
Value
Score
Value
Weight
Score
safety
10
3
30
1
10
2
20
Gas mileage
9
2
18
1
9
3
27
cargo room
2
2
4
2
4
1
3
seating
5
3
15
2
10
1
5
aesthetics
7
3
21
2
14
1
7
cost
9
2
18
3
27
1
9
“life-span”
5
2
10
1
5
3
15
maintenance
6
3
18
2
12
3
18
(weight x score)
Sum of values:
TOTAL VALUE
(weight x score)
Sum of values:
(weight x score)
Sum of values:
134
91
103
_______
_______
_______
Score
Value
(weight x score)
Sum of values:
_______
Results of this decision analysis suggest that car 1 is the best choice for the student. However,
had these factors been weighted differently, the results might have changed.
Page 49
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix P: Design Process Notes
Group Name: __________________________Date: ___________ Design # ____
Each team will complete a page of notes for EACH design they engineer. The more
specific the data collection is, the more efficient the design process will become. Each
team needs one page a notes for the team. Notes can be copied when completed if
each team member wants a copy. Keep ALL notes AT SCHOOL incase a team member
is absent.
Our team made the decisions for this design based on the following research:
(Research Scientist)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Use the space below to draw a blueprint of your magnetic launch system. Be
sure to include all necessary measurements and a scale for your blueprint. Draw
and label all forces including their directions.
(Civil Engineer)
Page 50
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Step by step directions on how to assemble your design:
(Construction Battalion Chief)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Describe the results of your design. What did you observe? What worked well?
What needs to be changed?
(Research Scientist)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Our team’s plan for the next design is:
(Public Affairs Lieutenant)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Page 51
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Attach this data table to a sheet of graph paper. Record your data in a table and create
your graph(s) on the graph paper too.
Data Table:
Design
1
Design
2
Design
3
Design
4
Design
5
Design
6
Design
7
Design
8
Remember that every graph should have a title, axis labels, a scale, and be created
using a straight edge.
Page 52
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix Q: Design Process Reflection Questions
Complete the following questions after each day in the design process. Use complete
sentences.
Design Proposal:
1. In 20 words or less, describe the engineering design process. What part of the
engineering process do you feel your group is working in now? Provide evidence
for this choice.
2. Explain what is being asked of you in this engineering design challenge (pay
close attention to the criteria and constraints of the challenge).
3. Describe how your group went about selecting an approach to the challenge
(deciding what your final design would be).
Page 53
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Complete the following questions after each day in the design process. Use
complete sentences.
Build, Test and Redesign:
1. Explain what you feel were the most significant contributions to your group’s
success in refining and finalizing your design.
2. What were the biggest hindrances to your group’s ability to progress to finalizing
your design? What enabled your group to overcome these obstacles and reach a
consensus on the final design?
Page 54
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix R: Presentation Directions and Rubric
Name _______________________
I can:








Present claims and findings emphasizing important points.
Present claims and findings in a focused coherent manner.
Present claims and findings with relevant evidence.
Present claims and findings with valid reasoning and detail.
Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information.
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to strengthen claims
and evidence.
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to add interest.
Summary:
At this point in the design challenge, you will be creating a presentation to share with
the rest of the class, utilizing all of the data you have collected. Your design
presentation will need to be limited to 5-8 minutes and include the following:




1 page handout to share with classmates
Data table explaining data collection
3 multimedia slides Google Slides/PowerPoint/Prezi, etc.
Video and/or live demo of your design in action
Page 55
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Presentation will be graded using the following rubric:
4
3
2
1 page handout
3 Multimedia
Slides
Presentation
Handout is
accurate,
addresses all
important claims
and findings with
relevant
evidence,
reasoning, and
details
Presentation
integrates
multimedia and
visual displays
into presentation
to clarify
information,
strengthen claims
and evidence,
and add interest
and contains at
least three slides
that are free of
grammatical
errors and
contain at least
one special effect
and a background
Handout is
accurate,
addresses
important claims
and findings with
relevant evidence
and reasoning but
is lacking details.
All group
members shared
in the
presentation
verbally and used
appropriate eye
contact, adequate
volume, and clear
pronunciation.
All group
members shared
in the
presentation
verbally and used
appropriate eye
contact, adequate
volume
Presentation
integrates
multimedia and
visual displays
into presentation
to clarify
information,
strengthen claims
and evidence,
and add interest
and contains at
least three slides
that are free of
grammatical
errors and
contain at least
one special
effect.
1
Handout is
accurate,
addresses
important claims
and findings with
relevant evidence
but is lacking
reasoning and
details
Presentation
integrates
multimedia and
visual displays
into presentation
to clarify
information,
strengthen claims
and evidence,
and add interest
and contains at
least three slides
that are free of
grammatical
errors
Handout is
accurate and
addresses
important claims.
One group
member
participated
physically; two
group members
shared in the
presentation
verbally and used
appropriate eye
contact, adequate
volume, and clear
pronunciation.
Two group
members
participated
physically; one
group member
participated in the
presentation
verbally and used
appropriate eye
contact, adequate
volume, and clear
pronunciation.
Presentation
integrates
multimedia and
visual displays
into presentation
to clarify
information,
strengthen claims
and evidence,
and add interest
and contains at
least three slides
Page 56
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
Appendix S: Additional Technical Brief
Foreword: This technical brief was initially written with the intent to have the students create a
railgun, but due to issues with the construction, the lesson has been changed to its current form.
As such, much of the information has carried over for the electromagnetics of the railgun at the
end of this brief, and should stand to be used as additional reading for those interested.
In physics, a force is any external effort that causes an object to undergo a certain change,
either concerning its movement, direction, or geometrical construction. In other words, a force
can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (which includes to begin moving from a
state of rest), i.e., to accelerate, or a flexible object to deform, or both. Force can also be
described by intuitive concepts such as a push or a pull. A force has both magnitude and
direction, making it a vector quantity. It is measured in the SI unit of newtons and represented
by the symbol F (6).
There are numerous ways to exert a force on an object. The two methods of concern in this
document are the electromagnetic and Newtonian forces. Magnetism, and in this case,
permanent magnetism, is the method where by electrons of one object interact with electrons of
another object. Permanent magnets have their atoms arranged so that there is a north and
south pole to the magnet (5, 7). These magnets emit an electromagnetic field that can act upon
other ferromagnetic objects.
Newtonian forces seen in this project are very much like the forces seen in the game billiards
(8). This is mostly concerned with the conservation and transfer of momentum. Momentum is
the product of mass and velocity. The momentum is initially provided in this project by rolling the
ball bearing along the track. The momentum is transferred by the ball bearing hitting another
ball bearing. Two ball bearings are attached to the magnet by the magnetic force and therefore
transfer the momentum to the next ball bearing which is able to move along down the track. This
would be like shooting pool when you are cracking the rack of balls, but the front ball is glued to
the table. Even though the first ball does not move, the rest of the balls will disperse.
Any charged object produces an electromagnetic field or EMF (1). Electromagnetic fields are
one of the four fundamental forces of nature (the others being gravitation, weak interaction, and
strong interaction). An electromagnetic field can be considered a combination of an electric field
and a magnetic field. Electric fields are caused by stationary charges and magnetic fields are
caused by moving charges (i.e. electric current). Electric and magnetic fields are always
perpendicular to each other.
Figure 1. The propagation of an electromagnetic wave with perpendicular electric (Labeled E)
and magnetic (Labeled B) fields (2).
Electromagnetic fields can exert forces on the world. These forces are governed by the Lorentz
force law. For a Lorentz force to occur there must be both electric and magnetic fields
interacting and therefore a charge in motion (i.e. electric current). The force is perpendicular to
both the direction of the current and the magnetic field. To determine the direction of the force,
the “Right-Hand Rule” is typically used.
Page 57
Up, Up and Away: Making Motion with Magnets
To use the “Right-Hand Rule,” using your right hand, place your thumb along the direction of the
current. Note that the direction of current is from the positive to the negative terminals of your
power source. Continue by extending your other four fingers perpendicular to the direction of the
current. The force from the electromagnetic field will be exerted in the direction of a vector
coming out of your palm.
Figure 2. An illustration of the “Right-Hand Rule” (3).
This Lorentz force has both magnitude and direction. While the actual calculation of the
magnitude of the force may be out of the scope of this lesson, certain mathematical
relationships can be derived. For a straight wire the force is defined by Equation 1.
Equation 1. The mathematical form of the Lorentz Force Law for a straight wire
The force is then therefore the cross-product of the vectors ℓ and B where ℓ is a vector whose
magnitude is the length of the wire and whose direction is along the wire in the direction of the
current. The magnetic field is the vector B. The current is denoted by the italicized I. By this
equation we can therefore say that the magnitude of the force is directly proportional to the size
of the current and the size of the magnetic field.
Using the information above we can then see why increasing the current applied to the rails or
increasing the number of magnets along the rails both increase the force applied to the object
being propelled. Based on these statements, we should also be able to observe that doubling
either the current or the number of magnets should result in the same increase in the amount of
force applied to the object, but this is not the case. Since the magnetic field is created both by
the permanent magnets along the rails and the use of current which we have already said
creates a magnetic field. A more accurate, though not perfect, equation is presented in (4) as
equation 2. Note that this force is only due to the current itself and does not take into account
the augmenting permanent magnets along the rails.
Equation 2. The current has a quadratic relationship with the force applied by the railgun. The L’
value is the per unit length value of the inductance of the rails (4).
Figure 3. The field and force diagram of a railgun (4).
Page 58