Motorcycle Physics
Thank you to Dr. Greco, professor of physics at Georgia Institute of Technology, for developing this project and generously allowing me to use it.
Objective: use the physics tools and principles developed this year to analyze a real
world complex system such as a motorcycle.
○ Why are some motorcycles covered in plastics and others are not?
○ Why do some have smooth tires and others have knobby ones?
○ A motorcycle can transition from riding on two wheels to one. How?
○ A motorcycle can become airborne by speeding over a steep hill. How far will it
travel? What happens if the rider applies the brakes while in the air?
○ A motorcycle does not normally turn through a corner but leans. How does that
work? What forces are present on the motorcycle in a corner? Why does it make
a difference if the motorcycle has very skinny tires or wide ones? Does it matter
where its center of mass is located?
The above questions are intended to trigger your imagination and inspire you to consider these or other physics applications regarding a motorcycle. You are not required to answer all of the questions, but use these question to help you decide what aspects of a motorcycle you'd like to analyze. Some of the motions a motorcycle undergoes are more complex than others and may be beyond your ability to accurately
analyze. The questions listed above are intended as examples of the types of questions that physics can answer. Your own curiosity and grasp of physics principles should guide you on this project.
Never seen a motorcycle? Walk around public parking lots until you see one and study it. Never ridden a motorcycle? Watch some video footage of a race or interview a motorcycle mechanic! As you work on this project, you will find that answering questions about the function of a motorcycle will illuminate your physics strengths and weaknesses. To overcome these weaknesses you will have to improve your own understanding of physics through study and conversation. It is my hope that undertaking this project will give a deeper understanding of physics and an appreciation, if not love, of its ability to answer many of our curiosities.
Product: Document your findings in a research paper, video, powerpoint, photostory, or venue of your choice approved by Mrs. Geddes.
world complex system such as a motorcycle.
- Model the motorcycle as a collection of simple parts (e.g. the wheel is a rotating hoop or disk, the motor is a box with rotating internals that generate energy, the suspension is a spring that can move the bike up and down, etc...).
○ Why are some motorcycles covered in plastics and others are not?
○ Why do some have smooth tires and others have knobby ones?
- Use your model of the motorcycle and your understanding of physics to describe the many different possible types of motion a motorcycle can undertake.
○ It can accelerate in a straight line. How is that related to the power output of the
engine and size/shape of the motorcycle? How is energy transferred from
chemical to kinetic? How hot will the motorcycle get and why?
○ A motorcycle can transition from riding on two wheels to one. How?
○ A motorcycle can become airborne by speeding over a steep hill. How far will it
travel? What happens if the rider applies the brakes while in the air?
○ A motorcycle does not normally turn through a corner but leans. How does that
work? What forces are present on the motorcycle in a corner? Why does it make
a difference if the motorcycle has very skinny tires or wide ones? Does it matter
where its center of mass is located?
- What role does the passenger play while riding the motorcycle?
The above questions are intended to trigger your imagination and inspire you to consider these or other physics applications regarding a motorcycle. You are not required to answer all of the questions, but use these question to help you decide what aspects of a motorcycle you'd like to analyze. Some of the motions a motorcycle undergoes are more complex than others and may be beyond your ability to accurately
analyze. The questions listed above are intended as examples of the types of questions that physics can answer. Your own curiosity and grasp of physics principles should guide you on this project.
Never seen a motorcycle? Walk around public parking lots until you see one and study it. Never ridden a motorcycle? Watch some video footage of a race or interview a motorcycle mechanic! As you work on this project, you will find that answering questions about the function of a motorcycle will illuminate your physics strengths and weaknesses. To overcome these weaknesses you will have to improve your own understanding of physics through study and conversation. It is my hope that undertaking this project will give a deeper understanding of physics and an appreciation, if not love, of its ability to answer many of our curiosities.
Product: Document your findings in a research paper, video, powerpoint, photostory, or venue of your choice approved by Mrs. Geddes.