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May 11, 2026
Abstract
A classroom experience is presented within the context of a physics laboratory, aimed at teaching vector addition while addressing its traditional lack of appeal. Students determine the most accurate launches by dropping a pool ball ten times onto a Cartesian plane with carbon paper. The winner is identified by calculating the magnitude of the vector sum closest to the origin. The activity follows a methodology of authentic inquiry aligned with ISLE. Students develop logs evaluated with a validated rubric that measures scientific skills. The results show an improvement in the understanding of vector additions. The highest performance was observed in the ability to formulate hypotheses and predictions; the lowest, in identifying sources of experimental uncertainty. The experiment demonstrates how to teach abstract and traditionally unappealing concepts like vector addition in a playful manner while maintaining the rigor of how knowledge is generated in physics, creating opportunities for the development of scientific abilities.
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