The Final Project: Putting Physics to Use

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Goal:  Take a position about the safety or non-safety of the intersection of Prospect, Sherman, and the faculty parking lot.  Support with evidence, calculations, and models.

I. Model the setting using an acceptable scale.  Model will be graded on accuracy, quality and usability for the presentation.

II. Model sample situations that can happen at the intersection, including:

a.  a situation that will have 2d momentum and a collision
b.  a situation that will force a driver to stop suddenly when an obstacle appears in the pathway
c.  a comparison of the same car driving the same location at different speeds.
d. a problem that deals with net force, mu, or stopping distances under different weather conditions.
e. solve each of the situations in a-d, showing all work

III.  Recommendations for the area of interest, including
a. dimensions
b. anticipated costs
c. rationale

IV. Presentation that explains recommendations and models the most likely sample situations.  This presentation must include the scale model and will be video-taped.  Creation of interest is critical.