53

Lesson 53 of 84 ยท Forces

Experimentโญ 30 XPโšก Spark Lab

Push and Pull Forces (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #53

Push and Pull Forces (Part 2).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

โšก The twist

The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŽข You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what happens if you double the force?

What You'll Learn

A force is a push or pull that can change an object's motion, shape, or direction. Forces are measured in Newtons and can act through contact or at a distance.

Key Words

  • inclined plane
  • wedge
  • magnet

Materials Needed

  • spring scale
  • stopwatch
  • pencils
  • toy cars
  • ramps

Safety First

  • Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
  • Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
  • Keep small objects away from young children.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Build a simple motor using a battery, magnet, wire, and paper clip supports. Observe how electromagnetic forces create rotation.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Observe what happens and describe it in detail.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is an electromagnet?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œShow me something at home that uses this kind of energy.โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐Ÿ’งShare card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Forces for 4th Grade

Get the full Forces track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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