CK-12 Foundation
Horse and Cart
Can a horse pull more than its weight? A simple simulation answers this question and more. Pupils adjust the mass in a cart, the mass of the horse, the acceleration of the horse, and the angle of the tension rope between the horse and...
CK-12 Foundation
Sprinter
Why do sprinters wear spiked shoes? Scholars explore various styles of shoes and how they handle forces when running. Scholars adjust variables including shoe type, horizontal force, surface type, and normal force to determine which...
CK-12 Foundation
Elevator
Do you weigh slightly less when an elevator first starts its descent? The simulation teaches the change in the force based on the acceleration, constant speed, or deceleration of an elevator. Scholars control the mass and acceleration...
CK-12 Foundation
Pirate Ship
Everything that happens is an interaction, from the wind blowing a sail to a cannon ball being thrust out of a cannon. A simulation shows the interactions involving a sail, air, ball, pirate, cannon, deck, ocean, and the Earth and...
CK-12 Foundation
Loop-the-Loop
What prevents a roller coaster from falling when it goes upside down? Scholars experiment with a roller coaster simulation controlling the mass of the coaster, the height of the hill, and the radius of the loop. They learn which factors...
Columbus City Schools
May the Force Be with You
You won't have to force your classes to complete these engaging activities! Through exploration, young scientists learn that force has both magnitude and direction. They draw force diagrams, investigate force models, and complete a...
LABScI
Potential and Kinetic Energy: The Roller Coaster Lab
Ron Toomer, a famous roller coaster designer, suffered from motion sickness. Pupils design their own roller coasters, learning about potential and kinetic energy in the process. Labs focus on the importance of drop height, energy...
Urbana School District
Forces
Is your class struggling with Newton's Second Law? Then show them a presentation that covers everything physics scholars need to know about forces. Starting with gravity, the slides focus on Newton's Laws of Motion, and end with an...
Curated OER
Typical Numeric Questions for Physics I - Forces
Let's get moving! Newton juniors solve 19 problems using force, speed, and acceleration equations. This is a nifty worksheet that includes a few diagrams and multiple choice selections for each question. It provides the straightforward...
Curated OER
Sliding Mass Problems
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...
Curated OER
Fettucini Physics
Students design a structure capabl;e of holding a textbook. They demonstrate that the weight of a textbook is offset by the normal force exerted on the book by the structure.
Curated OER
Newton's Laws of Motion
Students investigate the effect of thin films to surface friction. In this physics lesson, students calculate the coefficient of friction using mathematical formulas. They discuss its importance in their everyday lives.
Curated OER
CD Slide
Students identify the different types of friction. In this physics lesson, students explain how weight affects friction. They calculate normal force and coefficient of friction using a mathematical formula.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Would You Weigh Less in an Elevator?
Video that uses an elevator in motion to describe the relationship among weight, gravity, and relative motion. [3:36] Includes a short quiz and a list of additional resources to explore.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tug of War Battle Bots
Students are introduced to the concepts of torque, power, friction and gear ratios. Teams modify two robotic LEGO vehicles by changing their gear ratios, wheel sizes, weight and engine power, while staying within a limit of points to...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How to Pull Something Heavy
Students measure and analyze forces that act on vehicles pulling heavy objects while moving at a constant speed on a frictional surface. They study how the cars interact with their environments through forces, and discover which...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: What Is Force?
You have probably heard the word "force" before in conversations. Here are a few examples: "the rocket had a lot of force at blast off" or "the force of the storm blew the roof off the building." What is force? Force is defined as a push...
Science Struck
Science Struck: Guide to Free Body Diagrams in Physics
A detailed explanation of the different types of forces that can be applied to an object and how to represent them in a free body diagram. Includes examples and some practice problems to try, with solutions provided.
Other
Wikibooks: Physics Study Guide
A handy resource that gives an overview of equations and definitions pertinent to an introductory, college-level physics course, with two of its three sections focusing on motion-related topics and principles.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Practice W/ Normal Forces: Lesson 1
This lesson provides the learner with example problems on normal forces. It is 1 of 2 in the series titled "Practice w/ Normal Forces."
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Circular, Satellite, Rotational: Roller Coaster G Forces
Roller coaster rides are notorious for creating accelerations and g-forces. The magnitude and direction of normal force and gravity during the motion through a coaster's loop are depicted this animation.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Kinetic Friction & Normal Forces
This slide show presentation helps the learner understand how normal force affects the amount of friction.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Coefficient of Kinetic Friction
This slide show presentation introduces the idea of the coefficient of kinetic friction.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Objects at Rest on an Inclined Plane
Investigate which forces are acting on an object resting on an inclined plane.