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A Cut Above the Rest
Task with Student Directions
Contributed by: Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)


PERFORMANCE TASK STUDENT RESPONSE FORM

TASK: S1- "A Cut Above the Rest"                     GRADE 11
Student Name: _______________________________________________
School Name:________________________________________________ School Code: _________

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Write your name, school name and school code on the lines above.

You will have a total of 45 minutes to complete this task. You may use up to 20 minutes to complete the group work. When your group is finished with the group work, one member of the group should tell the facilitator that you have finished. Then you may go on to the individual work. You may not talk while you are working on those pages.

Your group should have the following materials:

  • 1 diagram showing scissors apparatus
  • 1 calculator for each student
  • 1 metric ruler (30 cm) for each student
  • 1 scissors apparatus
  • 1 spring scale (20 N capacity)
  • 1 4.9 N weight (Note: a 500 g mass has a weight of 4.9 Newtons on Earth)
  • 1 ring stand
  • 2 meter sticks
  • duct tape
  • pencils

GROUP ACTIVITY

The Law of Conservation of Energy implies that the work put into a machine is equal to the work done by the machine. The work is found in each case by multiplying the force times the distance. Work is a measure of the energy transferred by a machine. The purpose of this task is to analyze how the Law of Conservation of Energy applies to the design and use of scissors. Your group will be determining the output work for a standard pair of scissors.

You will be using the scissors apparatus to do ten trials to determine the work output for the scissors. Refer to the diagram of the scissors apparatus. You will use the 4.9 N weight as the input force for this system. Hang the weight from the finger hole of the scissors as shown in the diagram.

For the first trial, you will hang the spring scale at the 1 cm mark on the scissors blade. For each successive trial, you will hang the scale at the next centimeter marked on the blade. Each time you move the scale to begin the next trial, make sure the horizontal blade is level.

Use the spring scale to pull down on the horizontal blade of the scissors (see diagram) at each centimeter mark along the blade, determining the force required to move the 4.9 N mass up 2 cm (.02 m) each time. You must work together as a team to accomplish this task. The three steps listed below must be done simultaneously for each trial. Assign one member of the group to perform each step.

1. a. Pull down with the spring scale and record the vertical force (measured in Newtons) required to move the 4.9 N weight up 2 cm. (See diagram, location a.)
  b. Measure and record the vertical distance the blade moves down during each trial. (See diagram, location b.)
  c. Watch the 4.9 N weight and notify the team when it has moved up up 2 cm. (See diagram, location c.)

Repeat this procedure at each marked centimeter along the horizontal blade of the scissors. The 4.9 N weight must be moved up a distance of 2 cm during each trial.

Record the data in the chart below. All group members must fill in their own charts.

After your team has completed all trials, use the data to calculate the output work done at each location. The output work is calculated by multiplying the vertical force on the spring scale time the vertical distance that the blade moved [W=FxD].

Horizontal distance from the center of the scissors Vertical force measured with spring scales (measured in Newtons) Vertical distance that the blade moves down (in meters) Work output
Work = Vertical Force
x Vertical Distance
(W = F x D)
1 cm      
2 cm      
3 cm      
4 cm      
5 cm      
6 cm      
7 cm      
8 cm      
9 cm      
10 cm      

When you are finished with the work on this page, one member of the group should tell the facilitator that your group has finished its group work. Then do the individual work. Remember that you must work along on those pages. You may not discuss the questions or share information.

INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY

  1. Make a graph on the grid provided below, using some of the data that you recorded in your data table on page 4. Graph the vertical force vs. the horizontal distance.

  2. Interpret what the graph shows you about the cutting forces of scissors.

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  3. Compare the work output recorded in your data table with the work put into the finger hole. The work input is 4.9 N x 0.02 m = 0.098 N-m. Do your results supports the Law of Conservation of Energy? Explain your reasoning.

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  4. Using all of the information you have collected, design a pair of scissors that a small child could use to cut a piece of heavy cardboard. Make a diagram, and describe the features of your scissors.

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