Making Your Inclinometer

Materials:
Copies of Protractor for Inclinometer
Scissors
Clear tape
A 3" x 5" card
A hole punch
50 cm of string
A washer or other small weight with a hole in it
A sheet of 8 1/2 " x 11" paper

Step 1
Print out a protractor. Cut very carefully on the straight line on one edge of the protractor.

Step 2 Tape the protractor to the 3" x 5" card so that the straight side of the protractor matches up with the long side of the card.

Step 3
Use the hole punch to punch a hole through the circle on the bottom center of the protractor.

Step 4
Push one end of the string through the hole and through the washer. Tie the two ends of the string together making a loop on which the washer can slide freely.

Step 5
Roll a piece of paper (8 1/2" long and about 1 inch across) into a cylinder . Put tape on the seam so the paper stays rolled, then tape this cylinder to the card along the straight edge of the protractor. One end of the cylinder should line up with the edge of the card. See image above.

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Using Your Inclinometer

Step 1
Look through the end of the tube that sticks out from the card. You can look through the tube or sight along the top of the tube. It’s your choice.

Step 2
Look at something that’s at eye level. Have your partner read the angle where the string crosses the protractor. If your inclinometer is level, the string should cross the protractor at about 0 degrees.

Step 3
Look through the tube at the top of something tall. Have your partner read the angle where the string crosses the protractor. When you look at something above your head, the inclinometer tilts. The string crossing the protractor marks the angle of the tilt of the inclinometer. Take a few steps toward the tall thing and check the angle on your inclinometer again.
What happens to the angle on your inclinometer?

Step 4
Rather than having your partner read the angle for you, look through the tube and pinch the string against the card to hold it in place. Then take the tube away from your eye and read the angle on the protractor. Have your friend watch you do this and
tell you if you move the string and change the angle. Try this a few times, until you can do it without changing the angle.