37

Lesson 37 of 84 ยท Gravity

Experimentโญ 30 XP

Simple Machines: The Lever (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #37

Simple Machines: The Lever (Part 2).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

โšก The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐Ÿ”ฌ The more you look, the more nature shows you.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

Simple machines make work easier by changing the direction or amount of force needed. The six simple machines are lever, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw, and wheel and axle.

Key Words

  • momentum
  • kinetic energy

Materials Needed

  • pencils
  • toy cars
  • ramps
  • string
  • weights

Safety First

  • Wash hands after handling materials.
  • Be careful with scissors โ€” ask an adult for help if needed.
  • Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Gravity and write down three key facts.

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

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

Which is NOT a simple machine?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week โ€” even a tiny one.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the most surprising thing you learned today?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

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

๐Ÿ”ญShare 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 Gravity for 5th Grade

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

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