Connecticut Department of Transportation

Connecticut TRAC
TRAC
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A Transportation & Civil Engineering Program      
Magnetic Levitation
image073.jpg Learning is on the Rise

Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) may sound like science fiction, but the fact is, thistechnology is relevant in today’s middle school general science classes and high school physics classes. In the TRAC PAC 2 MagLev module, students put magnetic levitation cars through the paces while learning Newton’s First and Second Laws of Motion with interactive activities.  Civil Engineers rely on these two concepts when designing new roadways and developing ways to keep our roads safe.

   
Want to get the whole classroom excited about Newton?  Challenge students to a MagLev competition - a great creative assessment tool:
  • Students learn to identify the human factors that can lead to measurement errors.
  • Middle school students learn the basics of graphing while measuring time and calculating velocity of a MagLev car, and then collect data on acceleration rates.
  • High school students relate line slope to velocity, graph collected data, and verify Newton’s Second Law by interpreting their graphs.
  • A design/build competition gives students a chance to put what they have learned to the test—against the clock and each other.