Texas Gateway: 4.3 Newton's Second Law of Motion: Concept of a System

The stage is set for you to guide future physicists through three forceful activities about motion. In the first, learners experiment with rolling carts to discover how objects interact. In the second, they inspect images of an object in...

Students participate in a lesson that investigates Newton's Second Law of Motion. They conduct an experiment of observing balls that are rolled down a ramp. The lesson includes background information for the teacher for preparation and...

If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the...

Take a look at acceleration within the context of automotive technology. They vary the mass on a toy car and run it down a ramp, exploring Newton's second law of motion. Though this is a classic lab activity, you will appreciate the...

A Newton is approximately the weight of an apple, so force is measured in apples! Apply Newton's Second Law of Motion to determine the force acting on an object. 

Do the laws of physics apply in space? Astronaut Randy Bresnik explores Newton's second law of motion in one part of the "STEM on Station" series. Then, learners explore the same concepts in the classroom by propelling a car weighted...

How do the laws of physics work in microgravity? Astronaut Mark Vande Hei explores Newton's third law of motion as part of the "STEM on Station" series. Learners then explore Newton's third law further by building rocket racers and...

Take Newton's second law of motion to a new level by considering an un-acceleratable object with infinite mass. The idea is mind-blowing, but it is thoroughly explored in this clever video clip! Challenge your high school physicists by...

Force equals mass times acceleration. Physics whizzes apply this formula to six different diagrams, solving eight acceleration problems in all. This is a practical assignment, perfect for homework when practicing Newton's second law of...

Here is an unusual comparison: the swimming conditions of a sperm cell and a sperm whale. Introduce your physics class to the Reynolds number by sharing this video comparison during your fluid mechanics unit. Afterward, teach them to...