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Tech Ideas

What is a Tech Idea?

Occasionally you will find instructions in the Addison Wesley Science 10 textbook that direct you to the Internet for further instructions regarding technology activities. We've developed this Technology Ideas page so that you will always be able to reach safe, reliable resources on the World Wide Web.

Within the following topic subdivisions you will find extra ideas and activities to help students meet the objectives in Alberta's Information and Communication Technology curriculum.

The following Technology Ideas are divided into the three major concepts you will find in the Energy Flow in Technological Systems unit. Click below to jump to a particular topic, or simply scroll down this page.

  • 1.0: Investigating the energy flow in technological systems requries an understanding of motion, work, and energy
  • 2.0: Energy in mechanical systems can be described both numerically and graphically
  • 3.0: Priniciples of energy conservation and thermodynamics can be used to describe the efficiency of energy transformations

Technology Idea Internet Link

Some of the recommended Tech Ideas may require that you have a plug-in installed in your Internet browser. This allows you to take full advantage of the Tech Idea. The following icons indicate which plug-ins are necessary. Links to all of the most recent versions of browsers, plug-ins, and helper applications can be found at the Science 10 help page.

Quicktime
Shockwave/Flash
Real Player
Windows Media
iPix
Java
Acrobat Reader

1.0: The development of technologies has led to the concept of energy and the laws of thermodynamics

Text Pages 129-130

Match-a-Graph - you think you understand distance-time graphs? Prove it! Use this activity to graph your own motion as you try to match pre-existing data - it's harder than you think!

Text Pages 129-130

Toy Car Speed - time to go to the dollar store and pick up a few cool toys! This lab allows you to compare the motion of toy vehicles.

Text Pages 131-132

Velocity and Time - what happens when you change the velocity of an object? Find out by changing your own velocity!

Text Pages 157-160

Work = Kinetic Energy - if you have a dynamics track and dynamics carts, you might want to give this challenging lab a try in order to prove that the kinetic energy gained by an object is equal to the work done on it.

2.0: Energy in mechanical systems can be described both numerically and graphically

Text Pages 165-166

Electromagnetic Induction - like Faraday, you can discover the generation of electricity by moving a magnet through a coil. Just try this probeware lab!

Text Pages 169-170

James Joule and His Famous Paddle Wheel Experiment - a journey back in time to meet James Joule and experiment with him - the whole 18 page presentation is narrated, making an excellent lesson. You can also re-create the experiment yourself and change the parameters.

Text Pages 169-170

Sand in a Bottle - is it possible to convert kinetic energy into the heat of a solid? Try this simple probeware lab to find out.

Text Pages 173-188

Energy Simulations - experiment with the following animations to get a better understanding of motion, energy and work:

Text Pages 183-185

Potential to Kinetic Energy - keeping track of the energy of an object as it falls can be difficult. Try this innovative lab using a cart and a ramp to accurately assess the conversion of potential to kinetic energy.

Text Pages 186-188

Pendulum Simulations - many ways to study the motion of a pendulum:

  • Two Pendulums, One Heavy, One Light - how does their motion compare?
  • Oscillator - change gravity, mass and the lenght of the pendulum and observe the effects.
  • Pendulum - another simulation that gives control over several parameters.
  • Simple Pendulum - not only gives you control over the pendulum, but also graphs many aspects of the swinging object's motion.

Text Pages 190-193

Power Plants in Action - check out these animations of the three most common types of electricity generating plants: hydro, nuclear, and fossil fuel.

Text Pages 190-193

Assemble a Wind Turbine - use this handy assembly activity from Windpower.org to make your own wind turbine. Not sure what to do? Take the crash course in wind energy before you begin building.

Text Pages 190-193

Video: Out of the Blue - simply amazing QuickTime wind power videos.

3.0: Priniciples of energy conservation and thermodynamics can be used to describe the efficiency of energy transformations

Text Pages 206-209

Early Technology - here are some great animations of early devices:

  • Beam Engine Animation - an amazing beam engine animation. Once you have watched it and read the in-depth description, play the game to test your knowledge of the beam engine parts!
  • Stephenson's Rocket - an incredible steam locomotive that reached a top speed of 38.6 km/h.
  • The Blast Furnace - a crucial invention for the industrial revolution.
  • Spinning Mill - so what do you do with all that steam engine power? Do some spinning!

Text Pages 207-208

Lincoln's Secret Weapon - in 1862, the USS Monitor was launched, powered by a high-pressure steam engine. This animation gives you control over the powerful steam machine!

Text Page 209

Meet James Watt - an extensive journey back in time to meet James Watt and learn more about his inventions. Includes amazing animations and fun dialogue.

Text Pages 210-211

Combustion Engine Technology - good animations can help:

Text Pages 221-222

Generators - interesting forms of energy can be used to supply our needs. Find out more through experimentation:

Text Pages 221-227

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy Sources - think you know the difference? Try this quiz!