A Teachable Moment Uncovered by Video Analysis

Early in their study of one-dimensional kinematics, my students build an algebraic model that describes the effects of a rolling ball's (perpendicular) collision with a wall. The goal is for the model to predict the ball's velocity when it returns to a fixed point approximately 50–100 cm from the wall as a function of its velocity as it passes this point initially. They are told to assume that the ball's velocity does not change while it rolls to or from the wall—that the velocity change all happens very quickly and only at the wall. In order to evaluate this assumption following the data collection, I have the students analyze one such collision using video analysis. The results uncover an excellent teachable moment about assumptions and their impact on models and error analysis.