Physics on a Playground
In addition to having fun, enjoyment and physical exercise a playground visit can be used to support the teaching about force and motion at different levels, from preschool to university. It can be used as a preparation for amusement park physics days, with some analogous investigations. In addition, a play- ground provides easy access and more freedom to bring equipment and to experiment with motion and with different objects.
This chapter starts with a presentation of investigations on a small play- grounds, with climbers, slides and swings. This introduction is followed by brief discussions of possibilities on large playgrounds, including parabolic whispering dishes, see-saws, carousels, spinning balls and trampolines. Thematic investigations, to integrate playground experiences into the curriculum, are suggested for several concepts: Equivalence between gravitational and inertial mass (the equivalence principle); torque and angular momentum; work and energy as well as friction and rolling on inclined planes. Finally, the organization of playground teaching days is discussed to support sharing the joy of physics with teachers for younger students.
Keywords: friction, sliding motion, free fall, periodic motion, pendulum motion (swinging), rolling, moment of inertia, circular motion, carousels, merry-go-ground, acceleration, smartphones
Resources for Chapter 11
- Excerpt from Chapter 11 (p2-9)
- Training teachers to use playgrounds in physics teaching, Pendrill A-M 2019, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1286 012069 https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1286/1/012069
- Motion on an inclined plane and the nature of science, Pendrill A-M, Ekström P, Hansson L, Mars P, Ouattara L and Ryan U (2014) Physics Education, 49, 180 (Video abstract and manuscript copy)
- Round and round in circles — shifting relevance structures as students discuss acceleration and forces during circular motion in a vertical plane, Ann-Marie Pendrill, Moa Eriksson, Urban Eriksson and Cedric Linder, 2023, European Journal of Physics 44 055008 (with video abstract)
- Serious physics on a playground swing, Pendrill A-M 2023, The Physics Teacher 61, 355 (with video abstract)
- Comment on Pendulum: the partial and global approach, Pendrill A-M 2023, Physics Education 58 018001
- Force, acceleration and velocity during trampoline jumps—a challenging assignment, Pendrill A-M and Ouattara L 2017, Physics Education 52, 6, 065021
- Liquids in accelerated motion, Fägerlind C-O and Pendrill A-M, Physics Education Physics Education 50, 648-650 (2015) (Manuscript)
- Free fall and harmonic oscillations - analysing trampoline jumps, Pendrill A-M and Eager D, Physics Education 50, 64-70(2015) (incl video abstract) (Manuscript) (Video abstract in Swedish)
- The equivalence principle comes to school - falling objects and other middle school investigations, Pendrill A-M, Ekström P, Hansson L, Mars P, Ouattara L and Ryan U (2014) Physics Education, 49, 425 (open access) with video abstract
- Balls rolling down a playground slide: What factors influence their motion? Ann-Marie Pendrill 2021 Physics Education 56 015005
- How do we know that the Earth spins around its axis? Pendrill, A-M (2008) Physics Education, 43 158-164
Playground part of this site: Carousels, Falling objects, Slide, and Swings