20

Lesson 20 of 84 ยท Motion and Forces

Experimentโญ 30 XPโšก Spark Lab

Renewable Energy Sources

๐ŸงชLab Brief #20

Motion and Forces.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

โšก The twist

Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐Ÿ”ฅ A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where does the energy go?

What You'll Learn

A lever is a rigid bar that rotates around a fixed point called a fulcrum. Seesaws, scissors, and bottle openers are all examples of levers that multiply force.

Key Words

  • power
  • simple machine

Materials Needed

  • cardboard
  • marbles
  • paper clips
  • rubber bands

Safety First

  • Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.

Step 2 โ€” Do

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.

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 a renewable energy source?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.

๐Ÿ†

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.

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”ฌShare card

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

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Motion and Forces for 8th Grade

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

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