Lesson 29 of 84 · Energy
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabHow Batteries Work
How Batteries Work.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
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
- screw
- wheel and axle
Materials Needed
- paper clips
- rubber bands
- blocks
- spring scale
Safety First
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
- Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.
Steps
Review the background information on Energy before starting.
Set up a pendulum with string and a washer. Change the string length and count swings per minute for each. Graph your results.
Observe what happens and describe it in detail.
Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What causes an object to accelerate?
Where you see this in real life
You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.
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.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
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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