Internal Energy of a One Dimensional System

This sequence of activities introduces integration experimentally by quickly building to have students find the Internal Energy of the "Derivative Machine" of a nonlinear spring system.

This sequence can be used with a background of introductory physics and calculus courses because it requires only a brief introduction to energy, work, and integration. This sequence can precede or follow Representations of Ordinary Derivatives which does a similar sequence for experimental measurement of derivatives.

Activities