Module 1

Module 1: The International System of Units (SI)

Explore

A person’s mass may be found on a driver’s licence and on medical records. Many sports teams show the mass of players on the team roster. The next activity allows you to investigate the significance of the mass of a professional athlete.

Try This

What is your favourite professional sports team? Perhaps you have a favourite hockey, football, or basketball team. Choose this team for this next activity. In this activity you will investigate the mass of players and the effect of a player’s mass on performance.

You will need your calculator and access to the Internet.

Step 1: Access your chosen team’s roster on the Internet. Examine the player statistics.

Step 2: Prepare a three-column chart that lists the players’ statistics. You should have columns for each player’s name, position, and mass.

The players’ weight may be given in pounds. If the player’s weight is given in pounds, divide the weight in pounds by 2.2 to find the SI (metric) equivalent. For example, Jordin Tootoo plays for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League. His weight is listed at 194 pounds. What is his weight in kilograms?

TT 1. What is the weight, in kilograms, of the heaviest player on the team you chose?

TT 2. What is the weight, in kilograms, of the lightest player on your favourite team?

TT 3. What is the difference between the weights of the heaviest and lightest player on the team?

TT 4. From the data you have collected, and from your own personal experience, do you feel the mass of the individual affects his or her ability to excel in a certain position or sport? Or do you think the position or sport influences the mass of the athlete instead? Explain.

Share

It’s time to share your answers to TT 1 to TT 4. Remember that sharing work is an important part of learning. Use the following tips to ensure you get all the benefits from this sharing opportunity:

• You have completed TT 1 to TT 4 to the best of your ability. The answers are in a form that you can share them easily with another student or with your teacher, if so directed.

• Use the discussion area for your class, or another method indicated by your teacher, to post your answers to TT 1 to TT 4 and to view the work of the people you are sharing with.

• Compare answers for TT 1 to TT 4. Identify where you have similar answers and where your answers are different. Discuss all differences between the answers until you have an agreement. If necessary, you may wish to involve your teacher in your discussion. For TT 4, you may want to come to some agreement through discussion on how the mass of a player and the player’s performance are related. To convince others, you may use examples to support your opinion.

• Revise your answers to TT 1 to TT 4 where necessary.

Save the revised copy of your work in your course folder. Consult your teacher on whether you are to save a transcript of your discussion in your course folder as well.