For a capstone idea, the idea that was given to us in the BFPM packet that suggested that we make a mock “Mythbusters” episode really appealed to me. I was going to base it around one of the questions that we did in class that was in the packet
If a person is a holding a piece of paper taught, and you punch the paper and your fist goes through the paper, ripping a hole into it, then your fist exerted more force on the paper then the paper did on you.
I chose this question to use because it really heightened my understanding during class when we did it. The result to this with be BUSTED, and I would prove it using many different things.
Approach:
- Understand why they would think that your fist exerts more force, but prove their idea(s) wrong
- Watch a mythbusters episode to find out the structure (maybe)
- Small scale (hitting two motion sensors together), big scale experiment. Before the experiments I would say like what would happen with the wrong and right thinkings
- Conclusions and stuff
- Robotics robot (Beau/Jonny) maybe
- Measure how much a piece of standard printer paper can hold until it tears, then translate that into like a force exerted by a fist.
I have a video camera and I would edit it in iMovie.
sang-jinlee
I think this sounds like a good start. Focus first on your small scale test. I’ve got pushing force scales, and I think you should also use tissue paper. You should be able to see the force required to break the tissue paper 2 ways—by pushing with the SS, and by using the tissue paper to hold masses.