[squeakland] Tour of Uruguay / Vuelta Ciclista del Uruguay

[David Corking]

On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 5:14 PM, Carlos Rabassa wrote:

>> I think 2 3 and 4 have straightforward answers from high school physics.
>
> This raises another interesting question for teachers.  Would be nice to hear their comments.
>
>
> You seem to assume the teacher will follow the method used in schools years ago,  when I was a student.

My instinct is that they are excellent areas for investigation,
whether or not students can express and manipulate Newton's laws
mathematically. And for those of us a little older, I think there is
value in challenging our formal or rote response and trying to explain
why, or even if, they work, using real bicycles, computer models or
pencil and paper.

Pyramid builders used mechanical advantage for millennia before
Newton's wrote his laws. Sure the problems can be described with
formal mechanics, but a more empirical approach should be valuable.

I too would like to hear teachers' comments.