What it shows
Measure the angle up to the top of a tree or building and your distance from its base. The height is the distance × tan(angle), plus the height of your eyes above the ground.
This idea has a short entry only. For the science behind it, read the sentence above with your textbook and ask your teacher to explain the law or idea it shows, so you can describe it in your own words.
Materials
- A protractor
- A straw
- Thread and a small weight
- A measuring tape
- A calculator or tan table
Safety
For this project: Never look at the Sun through the straw.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
All the safety rulesHow to go about it
Numbered steps have not been written for this idea yet. Plan it with your teacher: sketch the design with measurements, build one part at a time, test each part, and write every observation with the date. The free ebooks below have step-by-step projects of the same kind.
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