Physics students use zip line to learn acceleration

Students in Paul Krzyzaniak’s physics classes recently got the chance to apply some of what they’d been learning in class — while flying through the air.

Krzyzaniak sent about a dozen people down the zip line on the Plymouth High School ropes course, with students positioned at intervals along the line to time their descent. Students then used that data to graphically calculate the acceleration of each “Zippie.”

“I wanted an activity where my students could collect real data for graphical analysis,” Krzyzaniak said. “I also wanted to use some of the areas on the PHS campus that some of my students might not get a chance to use.”

Several students who went down the zip line did so for the first time. Others admitted to being too intimidated by the height to try.

“To be able to climb to a height of about 40 feet and then step off a platform to ride the zip line was a big accomplishment for some of my students,” Krzyzaniak said.

He thanked Bob Wiex and his belaying students, who helped make the activity possible.

In addition to getting outside their comfort zone, Krzyzaniak wanted students to use an Excel spreadsheet to show the results of their data collection.

He also wanted them to understand that graphical analysis is only as good as the data collection.

Krzyzaniak said the only surprise of the day came when swimmer Clare Witkowski came down the line wearing a “cape.”

“Everything else went very well and the students did a good job of collecting data,” he said.