Sideways Icicles
Icicles on a roof growing sideways because of prevailing wind currents demonstrates that the applied wind force partially overcomes the gravitational force downward.
Location
Farley, Iowa, Dubuque County
Driving Question
- What forces are involved in the direction of the icicles?
Probing Questions
- How long were the forces affecting the icicles?
- Why did the phenomenon occur here but not elsewhere?
Classroom Suggestions
- Wonderopolis | How Are Icicles Formed: This page, written for students, describes how icicles are formed.
- Kinematics in Two Dimensions | An Introduction: This lesson explains how motion can be described as made up of vertical and horizontal components. It also features links to other resources, and is suitable for teacher background or a physics class.
- The Physics Classroom | Addition of Forces: This article explains the process of adding vectors to find the net force. It also features links to other resources, and is suitable for teacher background or a physics class.
- The Physics Classroom Vector Addition Interactive: This lesson contains teaching notes and a link to an interactive to help teach addition of vectors. Students can insert the vectors involved and it will give the resultant magnitude and angle.
- Colossal | Spectacular Ice Formations Atop a Windswept Mountain in Slovenia: Photographed by Marko Korosec the extreme conditions of humidity, freezing temperatures, and high wind created ice formations that are nearly horizontal.
Resources
Iowa Core Alignment
HS-PS2-1:Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration
Credit Info
Submitted by Diane May