The Bicycle as a SystemLauren BanksEducation 373

28 October 2009

Science Standard 7:Common Themes

Standard 6.7.1 – Describe that a system, such as the human body, is composed of subsystems.

Link to Standard: http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/StandardSearch.aspx

Link to Activity:http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=12

Definitions• System – is a set of

entities, real or abstract, where each entity interacts with, or is related to, at least one other entity.

• Subsystem – a set of elements, which is a system itself, and a part of the whole system.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT!

• What is your experience with bicycles?

• What do you know about bicycles?

• What do you know about the way they work?

Click the link below to read about one of the earliest bicycles, how it worked, and the design changes

that improved its use.

BICYCLE ARTICLE

ARTICLE REVIEW QUESTIONS

1.How do early bicycles differ from bicycles made today?

2.What accounted for the popularity of bicycles when they were first invented in the late 1800s?

3.What accounts for the popularity of bicycles today?

4.Identify the various parts of the bicycle. 5.Describe some of the properties of these parts. 6.What is the purpose of a bicycle system?

Choose a Bicycle Subsystem to Research & Explore

• The Wheel • Drivers & Gears

• Frames & Materials • Brakes & Steering • Aerodynamics • Human Power

#1Describe the subsystem that

you or your group researched. What is its main function within the bicycle

system?

How does the subsystem affect the bicycle’s

speed, safety, comfort, and durability?

#2

Can your subsystem carry out the job of the whole bicycle? Why or why not?

#3

Is it useful to think of a bicycle as a system? Justify your answer.

#4

How does learning about bicycle systems & their

subsystems help you understand the way a human body works?

#5

Type your answers for questions # 1-5 on the PBWiki page.