PolyToday: Tension in the Air

Imagine walking into class just as a toy plane circles overhead. Your mission: figure out the tension in the string holding it up. That’s the kind of challenge AP Physics teacher Richard White gives his students. While six randomly selected students measured the length of the string and flight speed, the rest of the class crunched the numbers. Ten minutes of lively teamwork later, they’ve cracked it, the tension in the string and the thrill of discovery both hanging in the air.