In this challenge, students will explore the ideas of impulse and momentum in relation to the impact of a collision in sports activities. Using the engineering design process, students will determine which type of materials minimize the effect of the force on an object involved in a collision by measuring how high a ball bounces up when dropped from a standard height. Students will create a prototype of a piece of protective gear for their chosen sport for their ball (representing a player’s head) that will be tested on a surface that most matches the sport for which they are creating their protective gear. 

Target Audience:

Grades 9-12

Key Concepts and Vocabulary:

Academic: Concussion, force, impulse, kinetic energy, momentum, Newton’s Second and Third Laws of Motion.

Career: Biomedical Engineering, Brain Injury Specialist, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, collisions, Neurologists, Sports Medicine

Students gain access to a design challenge module featuring teacher- and student-facing materials that guide them through the Engineering Design Process. The module includes an overview of the challenge, a launch activity to introduce the task, and step-by-step instructions for each phase: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create/Test/Improve, and Communicate.

While suggested materials for the challenge are provided, they are not included.