Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry: Periodic Motion
Young scholars construct their own pendulum. In this physics lesson, students design an experiment to find the factors affecting its period. They formulate a conclusion based on experimental data.
Curated OER
Looking at The Force on a Vehicle
Learners build a vehicle following technical drawings. They set up a system to pull the vehicles. Students compare and discuss how the motion of the vehicles changes more or less weight on a string is used to pull them.
Curated OER
Crash Course in Flight
High school physicists demonstrate Bernoulli's Principle by blowing on different items and finding that they do not move in the expected direction! They apply Bernoulli's equation to the flight of an airplane. This well-organized lesson...
NASA
Gravitational Waves
Young scientists participate in a hands-on experiment to explore Einstein's theory of relativity in a creative manner. They investigate various waves and compare their characteristics as they discuss how each wave is created....
University of Texas
Free-Body Diagram
Preparing for an AP test is about more than bubble sheets and memorization. The two activities in this resource require a direct application of skills learned throughout an AP Physics course.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Build Your Own Robot Arm
Engineers team up to design and construct an 18-inch-long robotic arm that can successfully pick up a paper cup. Each group is given the exact same set of materials, but it is up to them to decide what to use and how to use it. It is a...
Overcoming Obstacles
Weighing Options and Consequences
When making decisions, it might be wise to revise Newton's Third Law of Motion to read, "For every decision, there are options and consequences." Although in decision-making, not all these forces may be equal. The third lesson in the...
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
Curated OER
Worksheet 5 - Vectors & Physics
In this vectors worksheet, students determine the amount of work it takes to move objects, they determine if vectors are parallel or orthogonal and identify the displacement direction and the force direction. This one-page worksheet...
Curated OER
Rover Landing Design Challenge
Students examine the concepts of forces and motion. They work together to design protective devices for their egg rovers as they are dropped from a specific height. They record their observations and discuss.
Curated OER
Vectors: Follow That Arrow
Vectors and their connection to motion. A video will be presented to provide information for the class to use methods of solving vectors with and without grids. Real-world physical concepts will be explored in reference to vectors.
Curated OER
Puttin' It All Together
Learners explain the concepts of kinetic and potential energy and how it can change forms. In this energy, motion, and frictional forces lesson students participate in a hands on activity that includes calculating energy.
Curated OER
Temperature Changes Everything
Pupils determine the effect of temperature on the motion of particles. They study the difference between particles in a gas, liquid, and a solid and see how the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases can be explained by particle...
Curated OER
Tree House Escape!
Students participate in a role play in which they use simple machines to do the work of retrieving their sibling from a tree which lost its ladder. They investigate how work is accomplished when an object moves in the direction of the...
Curated OER
Falling
Fourth graders explore the earth's gravitational force. They discuss objects in motion and the concepts of pulls and pushes. Students investigate the idea that falling and gravity can be useful in connection with various sports...
Curated OER
Stick-Slip Movement
Ninth graders operate a model to observe the type of motion that occurs at a fault during an earthquake. They explore the effects of several variables. Students measure movement, calculate averages and plot and graph information.
Curated OER
Waterskiing in Circles
High schoolers discuss and give examples of Newton's three laws. They then answer questions in reference to Newton's three laws. One example of the questions that students answer is: A water-skier typically uses a 75 foot tow rope. The...
Curated OER
No Flaw With Newton’s 1st Law
Pupils explain what inertia is in their own words. In this physics lesson, students investigate how Newton's first law applies to their robot. They discuss real world examples of the 1st law.
Curated OER
Newton and his Laws
Students explore Newton's laws, including what they state, and what the intuitive meaning is of the first and third laws.
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law
Students examine how physical quantities and laws depend distance, mass and time. They examine the MKS system; meter, kilogram and second, for doing calculations.
Curated OER
Friction Restriction: Creating a Design Plan to Redesign the Tread of Tennis Sneakers to Increase Friction
Students evaluate the friction of tennis sneakers and redesign them to increase friction. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate starting, sideways and forward stopping friction. Using quantitative data, they prove...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Third graders are introduced to the six types of simple machines and discover how they make tasks easier. In groups, they rotate between stations to experiment with the different types of simple machines. To end the lesson, they make a...
Curated OER
Exploring Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines activity, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.
Curated OER
Picket Fence Free Fall
Students measure acceleration using a Picket Fence and a Photogate. In this physics lesson, students drop an object and measure the acceleration of the object free falling. They log their data using the TI.