Curated OER
Impulse, Momentum, and the Conservation of Momentum
What happens when two worlds collide? In the first of several activities, future physicists experiment with colliding ball bearings or Newton's cradle. Another activity requires the use of an air track with cars to examine collision....
Curated OER
Law of Conservation of Momentum
A suggested sequence of events lays out five hands-on activities and four creative assessments on the conservation of momentum. Using spring scales and mail scales, junior physicists examine Newton's Third Law. After you have taught the...
Physics Classroom
Action-Reaction Lab
Computer-interfaced motion detectors are required to carry out this inquiry. It is a new twist on exploring motion with plunger carts: they are set back-to-back and then propelled away from each other. Their velocities are measured, and...
LABScI
Conservation of Momentum: Marble Collisions
What happens to the momentum of an object when it strikes another object? Scholars roll a marble down a ramp so it collides with another marble. By measuring the speed of each marble before and after the collision, pupils answer this...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Tinkering with Tops
Get kids' heads spinning by challenging them to design a top that will rotate for a minimum of 10 seconds without leaving a 30-cm circle. Groups of learners collaborate through a planning stage, testing stage, and evaluation stage. Some...
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Curated OER
Qualitative Aspects of Rotational Dynamics
Explanations for six different physics lab activities and five suggested assessments are contained in this resource by the National Science Teachers Association. Any combination can be used to open learners' eyes to rotational motion....
Curated OER
Class Activity: BOUNCE!
Kinematic equations are used to calculate the velocity and momentum of different types of balls bounced on different surfaces. The lesson plan is detailed and provides a materials list, background information, and procedures....
Curated OER
Let's Outrage the Bull
Young scholars study kinetic and potential energy. In this energy lesson, students in grades K-2 understand the differences between kinetic and potential energy. Young scholars in grades 3-5 demonstrate that kinetic and potential energy....
LABScI
Kinematics: The Gravity Lab
Falling objects can be brutal if you don't protect your noodle! Scholars explore the motion of falling objects through measuring short intervals to determine if the distance traveled varies with time. Building off of this, scholars...
Curated OER
Activity Three Teacher Page: Collisions
Students after completing this lesson, identify variables that affect the system, and specify which variables are independent; which are dependent. They represent data in a data table and a graph and analyze data and make predictions.
Curated OER
Activity One Teacher Page: Vehicles In Motion
Students identify variables that affect the system, and specify which variables are independent and which are dependent.
University of California
Marble Rollercoasters
Don't let your classes coast through school! Engage them in their learning as they build their own roller coasters to study potential and kinetic energy. Young scholars complete several challenges that require them to consider the...
Curated OER
Go Car, Go!
Learners design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.
Curated OER
Anodising Aluminum
Students examine Barton's pendulums and watch the video Tacoma Narrows bridge. For this pendulum and momentum lesson students complete a lab activity, view a video and research a given topic.
Curated OER
Weight and Velocity
Students perform an experiment in order to determine how increasing weight affects the velocity of a truck and use the computer to compile their data.
Curated OER
Forces in the Sport of Luging
Students discuss force, gravity, and friction as well as examples of each based on what they viewed during a Discovery video. They examine first hand the effect of forces by building their own luge track, making predictions, and testing...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Radiation
Students explore the nature of electromagnetic spectrum through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson plan, students determine how light behaves under certain circumstances. They explain how humans perceive colors.