Lesson 2 of 84 · Forces
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabNewton's Second Law: Force and Acceleration
Newton's Second Law: Force and Acceleration.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.
Mind = Blown
🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: what happens if you double the force?
What You'll Learn
Newton's second law says that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). A heavier object needs more force to accelerate at the same rate as a lighter one.
Key Words
- gravity
- friction
- inertia
Materials Needed
- blocks
- spring scale
- stopwatch
- pencils
Safety First
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Test friction: pull a weighted box across 4 surfaces (carpet, tile, sandpaper, foil). Use a spring scale to measure the force needed for each.
Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.
Create a data table to organize your measurements.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What unit is force measured in?
Where you see this in real life
This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
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