[Paper Review] An inquiry-based laboratory on friction

Vera Montalbano|arXiv (Cornell University)|Oct 9, 2013

Design Education and Practice3 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper presents an inquiry-based laboratory curriculum for high school physics that explores sliding friction through hands-on experimentation with diverse materials. Students investigate Leonardo's laws of friction via qualitative and quantitative activities, demonstrating engagement but also identifying persistent learning difficulties in data interpretation and conceptual understanding.

ABSTRACT

Sliding friction is usually introduced in high school, but rarely through activities in laboratory. A qualitative introduction to friction is presented by proposing exploration of different kind of materials in order to suggest which aspects can be relevant and which interaction is involved. Different quantitative experiments are proposed for studying Leonardo's laws for friction. The learning path was tested with two high school classes during an instruction trip at department. Students were engaged in the inquiry-based introductory activity and seemed to realize with care the measurements. However, the analysis of their reports shows some learning difficulties.

Motivation & Objective

• To develop an inquiry-based laboratory experience that introduces friction in high school physics through active student exploration.
• To investigate how students engage with qualitative and quantitative aspects of friction during guided inquiry activities.
• To assess the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in helping students understand frictional forces and Leonardo's laws.
• To identify common misconceptions and learning difficulties in students' data analysis and conceptual understanding of friction.
• To provide a tested, classroom-ready laboratory sequence suitable for high school instruction and science education research.

Proposed method

• Students explore various materials to qualitatively assess frictional behavior and identify relevant physical factors.
• Students conduct controlled experiments to measure normal force and kinetic/static friction, testing Leonardo's laws.
• The learning sequence follows an inquiry-based model, with students formulating predictions, collecting data, and analyzing results.
• Data collection involves measuring friction force using spring scales or force sensors across different surfaces and normal loads.
• Students compare experimental results with theoretical predictions based on the proportionality of friction force to normal force.
• The laboratory was implemented in two high school classes during a departmental instruction trip, with student work analyzed for learning outcomes.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do high school students engage with inquiry-based activities when exploring the nature of sliding friction?
• RQ2 To what extent do students correctly identify and apply Leonardo's laws of friction in quantitative experiments?
• RQ3 What conceptual and procedural difficulties do students encounter when measuring and interpreting frictional forces?
• RQ4 How effective is an inquiry-based approach in promoting deep understanding of frictional interactions compared to traditional instruction?
• RQ5 What role do material properties play in students' qualitative understanding of friction before formal quantitative analysis?

Key findings

• Students were actively engaged in the inquiry-based activities and demonstrated careful measurement practices during experiments.
• Despite engagement, students' written reports revealed significant difficulties in interpreting data and articulating conceptual relationships in friction.
• Many students struggled to recognize the proportionality between friction force and normal force, a core aspect of Leonardo's first law.
• Misconceptions persisted regarding the independence of friction from surface area, indicating incomplete understanding of frictional mechanisms.
• The qualitative phase helped students identify relevant variables, but transition to quantitative analysis remained challenging.
• The laboratory sequence successfully prompted student inquiry but highlighted the need for targeted scaffolding in data analysis and conceptual reasoning.