The Way Things Fall

In this motion activity, learners complete motion word problems where they explain and define issues having to do with motion. Students complete 32 problems.

Future physics majors look at a diagram of a marble rolling across a railing. They sketch motion maps and force diagrams. They determine the horizontal range of the marble as it falls to the floor. Then they double the height and repeat...

Hit a bullseye with an engaging presentation about the components of projectile motion. Viewers see how horizontal and vertical motion combine to create the parabolic path of projectile motion. 

Each of the slides here gives a definition, equation, or calculation example for a component of force and motion. This large collection covers topics from momentum and Newton's laws to centripetal forces and simple machines. Animations...

Many people believe terminal velocity is the speed at which you can't survive a landing, but that is not the correct definition. Terminal velocity is actually the speed when the drag equals the force of gravity. The video explains the...

Students calculate acceleration due to gravity with the measurements of the period of a pendulum or measurements of the time for an object to fall from different heights. They observe and measure the effect of air resistance on the...

An illustrated article helps physics students learn about center of mass and velocity, and define the concept of inertia.

In the following interactive module, students will describe the effects of gravity on objects in motion. They will also describe the motion of objects that are in freefall and calculate the position and velocity of objects in freefall.

A collection of mechanics activities. Many pertain to Newton's laws of motion. Step-by-step directions provided with illustrations. Great for teacher demos or student projects.

Scholars must understand freefall before they learn how objects like airplanes fly. They apply knowledge of velocity and acceleration to predict speed and direction as part of a larger series on vectors and projectiles.