This past week in our iPad 1:1 physics classes we have been exploring momentum. Historically, we have opened with the “collision cart” lab. The plastic carts we use keep breaking and this year we didn’t have enough functional carts to run the lab.

iPads to the rescue! This year we demonstrated the collisions in the front of the room, then had students complete the lab virtually on their iPads.  We had 100% engagement, as every student had to do their own thinking about transfer of momentum between the cars and how to show that momentum was conserved in every collision.

“Collision Cart” sim in each student’s hands + paper copy of lab in each student’s hands + pencil + calculator = 100% engagement

Click the picture below to show the simulation and lab that we used: