Balloon Races

Directions:

1-As a group, choose 2 balloons of different sizes or shapes.

Predict which balloon will go the fastest.

2-Inflate the balloons and tape them to the card. Let them go

at the same time.

3- In complete sentences, write the answers to these questions on your lab sheet.

A. What is Newton’s 3rd Law of motion?

B. What is the action? ______What is the reaction?______

C. Describe the two balloons used and explain which one went the farthest?

D. Explain how the size or shapeaffect the speed of the balloon.

E. What other factors affected the acceleration of the balloon?

4- Determine the speed of each balloon. Show your work-which means, write down the

formula, substitute the numbers for the letters (write them down too), show your

division problem, write units in your answers. Round all numbers to the nearest tenth.

5. Repeat the experiment, but add washers to the paper clips. Determine the speed

using 0, 2, 4 washers. Create a data chart.

6. What is Newton’s 2nd Law of motion?

7. If mass is increased, what else changes?

8. If the force is increased, what else changes?

9. Explain the relationship between force, mass and acceleration (what happens when

one increases).

Teacher Notes for Newton’s Laws Stations

Station 1 Balloon Races-Tape an index card to a straw. Open up 2 large paper clips and punch 2 holes through the bottom of each 4 x 6 index card. Put the opened paper clips on the cards. This is where students will add washers. I tie a string from my cabinet in the back of the room to my coat rack.

Students will need a roll of masking tape, 4 washers, pumps($2.50 at Walmart), stop watch and data collection sheet.

Carts and Newton’s Second Law of Motion

In complete sentences, write answers on the Lab sheet provided.

A. What is Newton’s Second Law of Motion?

Step 1-Place the vehicle at the top of your ramp and allow it to roll freely down the ramp. Measure how far the vehicle rolls from end of ramp. Record distance on chart.

Step 2-Add 50 grams to the vehicle and repeat the process from step 2. Record your measurements on the chart.

Step 3-Add 50 more grams to the vehicle and repeat the process from step 2. Record your measurements on the chart.

Data Table

Mass in grams / Distance (cm)
Trial 1 / Distance (cm)
Trial 2 / Distance (cm)
Trial 3 / Average
Distance
0

B. How does the increasing mass affect the acceleration of the car?

C. What would happen if you added 50 more grams to the cart? Predict how far the cart would roll. Now try it and add your numbers to the chart. Was your prediction correct?

D. If you increase the mass on the cart, how could you keep the acceleration the same?

E. Explain the relationship between mass, force and acceleration.

(as one increases, what happens to the other)

Spring into Action!

Show a force relationship by using 2 spring scales.

Materials: 2 spring scales, 2-3 meter length of strong string

Investigate:

1-Get a partner and a spring scale

2-Hook the two scales together and pull them in opposite directions.

3-What are the force readings on each scale? ______

4-Now hook each scale to the string, pull the scales again. What are the force

readings on each scale?______

5-This time, one partner pulls and the other partner “resists.”

6-What are the force readings on each scale?______

7-Can you make one scale read twice what the other scale reads? _____

8-Pull while moving, Is there any change?

9-Which of Newton’s Laws does this prove? Using words from the experiment,

Explain how your actions show this Law.

Newton’s First Law of Motion

What is Newton’s First Law of Motion?

Part A: Wacky Washers

1-Stack 4 washers, one on top of the other so that you

forma tower of washers. Flick one washer at the

bottom of the stack.Repeat if the stack falls over.

What happens?

2-Flick a stack of 2 washers into the stackof 4 washers. What happens?

3-Flick a stack of four washers into a stack of 4 washers. What happens?

4-Explain your observations in terms of Newton’s First Law.

Part B: Tricky Tricks

1-Now that you are an expert at Newton’s First Law of Motion, try these tricks.

Without inertia, they would not be possible!

2-Set the cardboard circle and a penny on top of the clothespin.

Pull the string to remove the circle, and the penny should remain

in place on top of the clothespin.

3- How many pennies can you stack and still keep the penny on the clothespin?

4-Try the experiment again, using a plain circle without the string but flick the card

with your finger. Can you keep the penny on top of the clothespin? Can you do this

after more pennies are added?

Conservation of Momentum Activity

Materials: five small marbles, one large marble, and a track

  1. Place one marble on the center of the track provided, and collide another marble into the marble that is in place on the track.
  2. Place two marble next to each other on the track provided. (note: they must touch one another and be sure that all marble are the same size)
  3. Take another marble and collide it into the two marble sitting in place.
  4. Place three marbles next to each other on the track provided. (note: All three marbles should touch one another and be sure that all marbles are the same size)
  5. Collide two marbles into the three marbles that are in place on the track.
  6. Record your observation from steps to 1-5 one your worksheet
  7. Place a large marble on the center of the track, and collide a small marble into the larger marble. Record your observations from step 6

Air Resistance Activity (drag)

Materials: One parachute man and one Disney character

  1. Take one parachute man (open the parachute, so he can float in the air) and one Disney character. Take each of these objects and drop them from the same height at the same time. Record your observations, which of the objects hit the ground first?

(Note: choose a height high enough for the parachute man to float)

  1. Take the parachute man and fold his parachute as small as possible. Repeat step one. Drop the parachute man and Disney character from the same height (same height as step one) at the same time. Record your observation. Which of the objects hit the ground first?
  1. What effect does air resistance have on a falling object?

Supercharged Super Balls

What you will do: Demonstrate the conservation of momentum

Materials: a large super ball, a small super ball, and a meter stick

Procedure:

  1. Drop the large ball, waist high, to the floor. Notice how high the ball bounces back.
  2. Do the same thing with the small super ball.
  3. Place the small ball on top of the large ball and drop them to together from the same height. Notice how high each ball bounces back. (be sure to drop the balls straight down, they will bounce back at an angle-----this may take some practice)

Catching Coins

1. Bend your arm so that your hand is behind your head and your elbow is basically level with your ear.

2. Place a coin on the flat part of your arm just above your elbow.

3. Quickly jerk your elbow down and try to catch the coin in the palm of your hand.

4.Make a table to record you attempts, trials, successes, etc.

5. Repeat steps 1-3, each time adding to the number of coins stacked on your arm. Record your data in a table.

Questions:

1. What techniques seemed to give you the most success?

2. Which of Newton's Laws does this activity exemplify and why?

Chapter 6 Vocabulary Station

  1. Read the caption for the photograph on page 148. Have you ever ridden this ride? What do riders of Superman have in common with astronauts? Discuss with your group.

Chapter 6 Vocabulary Station

inertia force

projectile motion speed

air resistance velocity

momentum acceleration

centripetal force spring scale

net force newton

unbalanced force friction

balanced forces mass

weight gravity

B. Define the underlined words on a sheet of notebook paper

C. As a group, write a story about a visit to an amusement park using 12 of the vocabulary words (must include underlined words). Use sentences that will give clues as to the meaning of the vocabulary word. You must have at least 14 sentences.

D- As a group, create a set of “memory” cards. That means, put the word on one card and the definition on the other card. Play the memory game with the cards.

E- If there is still time, create a crossword puzzle with at least 12 words (must include underlined words). Each puzzle should have a grid and a clue bank.