Why does it take Pluto 90,000 days to orbit the sun, but it only takes Mercury 88 days? An interactive lesson helps pupils find a connection between the speed of orbit and distance a planet is from the sun. The simulation allows for...

Fifth and sixth graders practice working in pairs to determine whether they can walk with constant speed. They test themselves, collect their data, draw graphs with their data collected, manipulate the data, and then draw conclusions...

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....

Young scholars solve problems of dilation and velocity. In this geometry instructional activity, students apply the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems and relate it to time and velocity.

Cliff diving is more than an adrenaline rush ... it's a lesson in physics! Scholars adjust the height of a cliff and plot the resulting velocity and position over time on graphs. They also can incorporate air resistance to monitor the...

Students study the concepts of speed and velocity and complete practice problems. In small groups, students fly airplanes and record time and distance traveled for each flight. They calculate the speed and velocity of their plane for...

Fifth graders study the concept of momentum and its application by Newton in his studies. They view a demonstration and complete an experiment with toy cars on a racetrack that shows them the properties of momentum and how velocity and...

Every object we see must pass through a lens, but how does each individual's lens differ? Learners explore the science behind refraction and lenses, uncovering the details that allow them to perform daily activities.

Twelfth graders look at local speed limits and traffic controls and see if they are reasonable. They plot the displacement and time to represent velocity, develop a plan for improving the current system, and organize experimental...

Assist your class in learning graphical analysis by reviewing the slide presentation. Class members review 15 slides to further understand concepts such as velocity and acceleration. They conclude with practice problems related to the...

Be impulsive with your high school physics class. Emerging physicists review the slide presentation and learn about impulse, momentum, collisions, and how each variable may be affected. They complete practice problems and conclude with a...

Get things moving with this extensive collection of physical science resources. Covering the fundamentals of measurement, graphing, lab safety, and experimental design as well as the specific scientific concepts...

Students interpret a variety of motion graphs. In this physics lesson, students calculate the speed and acceleration of objects using numerical data from graphs. They apply what they have learned to solve real world problems.

Eighth graders build and run mousetrap cars in order to measure distance, time, and mass for their cars. They use these measurements to calculate average speed and kinetic energy, then create a slide show to visually explain how the car...

Eighth graders explore and demonstrate an understanding of the factors that contribute to the efficient operation of mechanisms and simple machines. They design and make a mechanical toy device that moves a given object a specified...

Learners explore physics concepts such as velocity, acceleration and speed to create a model of a safe roller coaster. They design and conduct a lab to demonstrate the properties of an object fired horizontally and at an angle.

Investigate vectors and learn how to use them. Explore why size and direction, as well as knowing speed and distance, are important components of the vector problems you are trying to solve. This is an extensive lesson which includes six...

Seventh graders investigate velocity and speed. In this Vernier Probe lesson, 7th graders will use probes to calculate motion, speed, and velocity of an object. They will create a graph of their collected data.

Students study the concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration through graphing their own movement using LoggerPro. They explain the difference between speed and velocity using the weather vane example. They discover the difference...

Students are able to build an understanding of linear motion. They are able to define and calculate the speed and acceleration of various objects. Students are able to differentiate betweeen instantaneous speed and average speed. They...

Ninth graders conduct an experiment demonstrating what happens when a train hits a car using easily accessible materials. They calculate momentum, velocity, and distance using the appropriate formulas. Then they write an incident report...

Computer-interfaced motion detectors are required to carry out this inquiry. It is a new twist on exploring motion with plunger carts: they are set back-to-back and then propelled away from each other. Their velocities are measured, and...

Students experiment in small groups to answer the question, "Is there a relationship between ramps and speed?" They apply a formula to calculate the speed of the cars used in the experiment, complete the associate lab report, and...

Students design and build their own car. In this physics lesson, students collect data to determine the speed of the car. They plot the data on the graph analyze the relationship between variables.