Equilibrium in the space: experimentation and mathematical modellingThe elaboration and accomplishment of experiments, together with the analysis of the results, construction and application of concepts and the use of computing resources are a challenging methodological option in the physics education when considering the needs of knowledge, abilities and creativity that the new generations must have to face the scientific and technological problems. This work has the objective to present the problem of calculation of acting forces in handles and connecting rods that support masses in the space, to develop a general mathematical model and to argue the nature of the tensions of some specific cases, as a modelling study combining the contents of courses like General Mechanics, Linear Algebra and Numerical Calculus for engineering, physics or mathematics. The model was tested for some situations, being three of them described in this article: symmetrical and anti-symmetrical with traction forces and an anti-symmetrical case with compression force. It is presented the analysis of the uncertainty for the measurements of the handles length and the positioning of the supports. This work shows the variety of learning situations and application of concepts, mathematical techniques of data handling and challenges, when associating theoretical and experimental actions for the validation of the model, besides presenting other related inquiries as extensions of the given subject.
mechanics; physics education; experimentation; technology and education
