Curated OER
The Inertial Balance
Students weigh objects using a triple beam balance. In this mass lesson, students use an inertial balance made with a metal rod to measure and graph vibrations of varying numbers of pennies in a bucket. References and discussion prompts...
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law: Mass-Acceleration Relationship with Dynamics Carts
Learners form their own hypothesis about the relationships between force, mass, and acceleration for their dynamics cart system. They collect data and express it in a graphical format to visualize the relationships.
Curated OER
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
Students explore the nature and magnitude of gravitational forces. In this gravitation lesson students study gravity and answer questions.
Physics Classroom
From a Feather to an Elephant
It is always a rush to drop objects from great heights, and with this physics experiment, class members will not be disappointed! They drop a single coffee filter from a balcony or table top, record the time it takes to reach the ground,...
Curated OER
Skateboard Science
Students investigate how skaters can turn in midair. In this physics lesson, students relate Newton's Laws to skateboarding. They carry out the maneuver with the help of their classmate.
Curated OER
Gravity and Circular Motion
Go around and around in your physics class with this presentation on circular motion. Diagrams bring the definition to life. Formulas for angular acceleration, centripetal force, gravitation, and potential in a radial field are given....
Curated OER
Forces
These simple slides are basic, but clear, in their summary of physical forces. Definitions of friction, air resistance, gravity, freefall and projectiles are given along with a couple of helpful diagrams. More examples always help to...
Curated OER
Kites: Patang - The Indian Fighter Kite
Students investigate the history of fighter kites and build their own. In this aeronautics lesson, students discover how other countries utilize fighter kites and where they originated. Students create their own fighter kites...
Curated OER
Electricity and Magnets
In this physics review worksheet, learners compare average and instantaneous speed, review Newton's laws, electricity, and magnets. This worksheet has 12 fill in the blank, 8 short answer questions, and 6 problems to solve.
CK-12 Foundation
Hot Air Balloon
How can people control a hot air balloon? The simple simulation allows scholars to adjust the payload mass, burner, and vent position on a hot air balloon and observe the changes in velocity and altitude over time. Challenge questions...
CK-12 Foundation
Everglades Airboat
How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...
Curated OER
Slam On the Brakes!
Fifth graders study the concept of momentum and its application by Newton in his studies. They view a demonstration and complete an experiment with toy cars on a racetrack that shows them the properties of momentum and how velocity and...
CK-12 Foundation
Pirate Ship
Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and...
CK-12 Foundation
Elevator
Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...
Curated OER
Circular Motion
A helpful physics presentation will have you talking in circles! The material covers circular motion, and includes diagrams, formulas, and example problems. When used in addition with directed instruction and a teacher-created form...
Curated OER
Paper Suspension Bridges: You Want Me To Go Up There?
A few class periods will be required to complete this physics investigation with your high schoolers. There is an unavailable video written into the lesson plan, but there is plenty of material here to bridge the gap. Two terrific...
Exploratorium
Momentum Machine
If you have a rotating office chair in your classroom, you can have physics pupils participate in this simple, yet effective demonstration of angular momentum. One partner sits in the chair, arms outstretched, holding heavy weights. The...
Urbana School District
Energy, Work, Simple Machines
The tension of the 236 strings in a grand piano exert a combined force of 20 tons on the cast iron frame. The presentation includes topics such as work, forms of energy, conservation of energy, gravitational and elastic potential energy,...
CK-12 Foundation
Airplane
How does an airplane control its take off and descent? Scholars explore the forces acting on an airplane and control the angle of attack, wing profile, thrust, and airplane size. They learn about lift, drag, thrust, gravity, and the...
CK-12 Foundation
Horse and Cart
Can a horse pull more than its weight? A simple simulation answers this question and more. Pupils adjust the mass in a cart, the mass of the horse, the acceleration of the horse, and the angle of the tension rope between the horse and...
CK-12 Foundation
Bowling Alley
Sometimes it appears that a bowling ball slides down the alley rather than rolling, while other times it appears to switch rolling directions at some point. Scholars control the bowling ball size, initial rotation, initial speed, and...
Urbana School District
Electrostatics
Why did lightning shock the man? Because it didn't know how to conduct itself. Presentation covers electric charges, insulators, conductors, electroscopes, lightning, generators, grounding, static electricity, and more. Presentation...
Curated OER
Newton's 3rd Law
Students examine how the formal definition of Newton's 3rd law: forces always originate in pairs, equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. They also examine how the informal, qualitative version: Each action has an equal and...
Curated OER
The Science of Swinging
Students learn how a pendulum works in the concept of an amusement park ride. In this pendulum lesson, students are introduced to Newton's first law of motion and how it works in an amusement park ride. Continuous motion and inertia are...