Take a look at acceleration within the context of automotive technology. They vary the mass on a toy car and run it down a ramp, exploring Newton's second law of motion. Though this is a classic lab activity, you will appreciate the...

Play "Would You Rather" with your physical science class as an anticipatory set. Each game question is related to the pressure put on an area of the body. Let this activate a discussion on forces, pressure, and area. Give your class...

Force equals mass times acceleration. Physics whizzes apply this formula to six different diagrams, solving eight acceleration problems in all. This is a practical assignment, perfect for homework when practicing Newton's second law of...

Students calculate acceleration due to gravity with the measurements of the period of a pendulum or measurements of the time for an object to fall from different heights. They observe and measure the effect of air resistance on the...

What are the basics for building a rocket out of a two-liter bottle? The procedures outline the basics to create an air- and water-powered bottle rocket. Prior to launching the rockets, teams perform safety checks to ensure their designs...

Do not let friction drag you down! The 11th segment in a series of 22 focuses on the fourth force acting upon an airplane—drag. Pupils learn about the effects and causes of drag.

Force the plane through the air. The lesson introduces the force on an airplane that makes it go forward. Pupils learn how Newton's laws of motion apply to flight in the eighth segment of a 22-part unit on flight.

How can you launch an object that isn't propelled by air? The resource provides directions to build a launcher to launch rockets made of two-liter bottles. The launcher, built mainly from materials found at the local hardware...

Pass along the knowledge of the great Sir Isaac Newton with this worksheet on the laws of motion. Including three separate problems, each involving multiple parts and calculations, this resource is a great way to...

Zip through 13 physics problems with force! Equations are printed in large text in the upper-right corner of the page. Pupils change friction forces, deal directly with Newton's second and third laws of motion, and name fundamental...

Here are nine motion problems for physics fanatics to solve. Topics are pretty typical: rifles firing bullets, freight train cars colliding, astronauts gliding through space, balls being thrown. Pupils compute recoil speed, combined...

Physics learners studying force and acceleration practice solving eight problems with this assignment. They calculate acceleration and deceleration, net force, and distances required for stopping a moving object. Kinematics equations and...

Simple momentum computations and more complex collision computations can be found on these two worksheets. All of them can be answered by choosing from five possibilities. The first worksheet contains nine problems to solve, while...

Young scholars investigate how rocket liftoff demonstrates Newton's Laws of Motion. They participate in a class discussion, and construct a rocket powered by the pressure generated from an antacid tablet reacting with water.

A nine-page physics resource supports your lesson on acceleration. A step-by-step lesson plan walks you through the materials you need, the background information, steps for leading experimentation, and the explanation of the results....

High school physicists demonstrate Bernoulli's Principle by blowing on different items and finding that they do not move in the expected direction! They apply Bernoulli's equation to the flight of an airplane. This well-organized lesson...

Attractive and logical instructions are provided for constructing a balloon-powered car. Young physical scientists measure the distance their car travels and record it on a pre-printed data sheet. The make alterations to improve the...

Pairs of space scientists or junior physicists construct and deploy antacid-powered rockets. Through this activity, they observe Newton's Laws of Motion. The plan is detailed and well-organized. Resource links include professionally...

What do Newton's Laws have to do with getting from Earth to Mars?The activities in this resource show how Newton's Laws work with rockets to get them into space. Background information includes facts about orbits and how orbits...

Raise the energy level of your physical science class with this exciting hands-on activity. Applying their knowledge of kinetic and potential energy and Newton's laws of motion, young engineers use foam tubing and marbles to create...

Physics masters solve five sliding mass problems. For each, there are a few different values to be determined: normal force, force of friction, acceleration, velocity, coefficient of friction, or net force. Pupils must draw a force...

Students design and construct a paper rocket that can be launched with a drinking straw. They participate in a lecture and read an article about rocketry and how Newton's Third Law applies to rocket launches. Each student constructs...

High schoolers investigate the interdependence of mass and gravitational acceleration using computer simulation. In this physics lesson, students derive the formula for acceleration due to gravity. They calculate air resistance on...

Students explore momentum. In this physics lesson, students perform an experiment in which two balls are released on slanted boards while students observe which ball will go the farthest and the fastest. Students define and explain...