Lesson 10. Spaceship Programming (updated version)

Stephen Dickman, Jacob Kelter
Physics
1 period 50
AP Physics 1
v2

Overview

During this lesson, you will driving a spaceship, through space, and attempting to dock it safely. The rocket engines fire an impulse in order to accelerate. How do spaceships navigate?

Standards

Computational Thinking in STEM 2.0
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation Practices
    • [CT-MODEL-1] Using computational models to understand a complex phenomenon
    • [CT-MODEL-2] Using computational models to hypothesize and test predictions
    • [CT-MODEL-3] Using a computational tool to understand a system's compenents and dynamics
Next Generation Science Standards
  • Physical Science
    • [HS-PS2-1] Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
    • [MS-PS4-2] Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Credits

CT-STEM, Northwestern University.

Acknowledgement

This lesson was coded by Jacob Kelter.

Activities

  • 1. Programming
  • 2. Maze Travel!
  • 3. Challenge Problems

Student Directions and Resources


In this lesson you will program a spaceship to reach its destination by scheduling when the engines produce an impulse. Remember, Impulse = F*t!

1. Programming



Question 1.1

Attempt to dock the rocket to the green patch(Space Station). To do it safely, the spaceship must be stopped at the station. Once you have figured out a code, take a screenshot and upload it below.

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Question 1.2

Explain the process you went through to find your solution to question 1. What did you do try first? What did you notice? What did you then have to change? etc. Try to explain all the steps you took and how you figured out what to do next. 



Question 1.3

When the left engine is turned on, which direction is the rocket accelerated in? Why is this?



Question 1.4

After an engine has been fired and no engines are on anymore, what does the rocket do motion-wise? Why is this? In your response make sure to note which of Newton's laws explains the motion. 



Question 1.5

Sketch the graph of the force of the left engine vs. time from your solution to question 1.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 1.6

    
Sketch the graph of the force in the x direction (regardless of which engine caused it) vs. time from your solution to question 1.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 1.7

What is the sum of the area under the curve for your sketch in the previous section? Is the spaceship displaced as a result of these impulses?



Question 1.8

What is the sum of the impulses from your solution to question 1? Will this be true for any solution? Explain.



Question 1.9

Considering a real rocket: why does burning fuel and allowing the resulting hot gas to only shoot out in one direction propel the rocket? 

 



Question 1.10

In our model, the mass of the rocket is constant, but a real rocket loses mass due to burning fuel and ejecting the resulting hot gas. How would this affect the motion and how could we make our model more realistic to take this into account?

2. Maze Travel!


Your job now is to negotiate Maze 1 and 2. Remember, you must dock the spaceship safely. 


Question 2.1

Upload a screenshot of your successful blocks for Maze 1.

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Question 2.2

Explain the process you went through to find your solution to the previous question. What did you try first? What did you notice? What did you then have to change? etc. Try to explain your thinking.



Question 2.3

How would you get the ship to accelerate up and to the right? Draw the 2 force vectors on the ship. Also, draw the resultant force on the ship. 

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 2.4

Upload a screenshot of your successful code of Maze 2.

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Question 2.5

Again, explain the process you went through to find your solution to the previous question. Explain your thinking.



Question 2.6

Now switch the maze to "none horizontal." Play around and try to get to the station as fast as possible (in terms of ticks). How did you do this? How many ticks did it take?

 



Question 2.7

Keep the maze on "none horizontal." Now try to get to the station as slowly as possible (in terms of ticks). How did you do this? How many ticks did it take?

 


Question 2.8

Sketch two force vs time graphs. One for the minimum time travel and one for the maximum time travel from the last two questions. Label the ticks on the x-axis for the middle and end of each graph. 

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 2.9

Write out the impulse equation for the left engine firing for a time, t. Write out the impulse equation for the right engine firing for a time, t. Remember the direction matters in the equation!
 



Question 2.10

Assume the rocket is 5kg and is moving at 4m/s to the right. The left engine is now fired which applies a 1N force and is kept on for 15 seconds. What will the final velocity be?



Question 2.11

Assume the rocket is 5kg and is moving at 4m/s to the right. This time, the right engine is fired which applies a 1N force and is kept on for 15 seconds. What will the final velocity be?

3. Challenge Problems


Now things get trickier. Each time you click "setup target," the green target will be in a new place. That means you can't use trial and error to figure out the engine schedule that will get you there. Instead you need to figure out a way to calculate it. You can use the "ruler" button to measure how far the ship is from the target. In this version, you can also adjust how strongly the engines fire, not just how long they fire for. 


Question 3.1

Start with the "target-mode" option set to "random target 1D." In this mode, the target will always be at the same y-coordinate as the space ship, but will be a random distance away in the x-direction each time you click "setup target". Your job is to figure out a way to calculate what the engine schedule should be to reach the target. There are multiple ways to do this.

In the box below, describe your method each time you try, even if it doesn't work yet. It will probably take you at least a few tries to perfect your method so that you can consistently land on the target. So, each time you try, describe your method and what happened. Then describe how you are changing your method. Repeat this until you have a method that consistently works. 



Question 3.2

After the engine stops firing, what happens to the velocity? To the momentum?



Question 3.3

Take the initial velocity as zero and the mass as 8 kg. If the left rocket applied 10N of force for 8 seconds, what would the final velocity be? What would the momentum be? How far would it travel in those 8 seconds?



Question 3.4

Sketch an exact graph of the velocity vs. time for the scenario in question 3.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 3.5

What does the area under the graph equal?



Question 3.6

If the mass in question 3, was 4 kg, what would the final velocity be after the 8 seconds? What is the momentum after the 8 seconds?



Question 3.7

Sketch an exact graph of the force vs. time for the scenario in question 3. 

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below


Question 3.8

What does the area under the  graph equal?



Question 3.9

Now set the "target-mode" to "random target 2D." In this mode, the target will be at a random distance from the rocket in both directions each time you click "setup target". Once again, your job is to figure out a way to calculate what the engine schedule should be to reach the target. 

Again, in the box below, describe your method each time you try, even if it doesn't work yet. It will probably take you at least a few tries to perfect your method so that you can consistently land on the target. So, each time you try, describe your method and what happened. Then describe how you are changing your method. Repeat this until you have a method that consistently works. 



Question 3.10

If you've gotten to this point, it's time to celebrate by drawing something cool with the rocket! Play around with setting the engine schedule to get the rocket to draw a shape or a design. When you have something you like, take a screen shot of your blocks and upload them here. 

Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
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Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.