What Will We Do?

Students doing the Virtual Marble Roll use a simulation to do the challenge. They work virtually to select a strip of material that is 61 cm (24 inches) in length to use as a ramp. Then they determine how to maximize the distance their marble rolls across a flat surface by working with a virtual tutor to experiment with different ramp and rolling surface hardnesses and textures and changing the height from which the marble is released from the ramp. Discussing principles of physics with the tutor and integrating them into their virtual ramp designs helps students improve the distance the marble rolls. On Virtual Marble Roll Day, they collect and send data to share with other students who used the simulation to design and build ramps.They also have the opportunity to compare their data with data submitted by students who actually built ramps or to build ramps themselves, submit data, and make comparisons.

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