Lesson 4 of 84 ยท Forces
Experimentโญ 30 XPโก Spark LabGravity: The Force That Pulls
Gravity: The Force That Pulls.
๐ฏ Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
โก The twist
Energy never disappears โ it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
โก Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
What You'll Learn
Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward each other. On Earth, gravity pulls everything toward the center of the planet, giving objects their weight.
Key Words
- friction
- inertia
Materials Needed
- toy cars
- ramps
- string
- weights
Safety First
- Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Steps
Review the background information on Forces before starting.
Construct a catapult from popsicle sticks and rubber bands. Launch a marshmallow from different angles and measure the distance. Find the angle that gives the longest launch.
Look for patterns in your observations.
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What causes an object to accelerate?
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
โShow me something at home that uses this kind of energy.โ
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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