PHET
Forces and Motion: Basics
How is tug of war related to pushing a refrigerator? Here's a simulation connects these two activities with Newton's First Law of Motion. Four different simulations allow scholars to explore net force with tug of war, motion with pushing...
CK-12 Foundation
Third Law Simulation
Keep calm and use the force! Joey pulls a cart and scholars adjust the force required to control the movement. Through simulating different scenarios, participants learn about Newton's Third Law. It includes analysis questions throughout...
CK-12 Foundation
Tetherball
What forces are at work when playing tetherball? Using a simulator, pupils control the ball mass, tether length, and ball speed to better understand the physics of the game. A worksheet and challenge questions reinforce the concepts...
CK-12 Foundation
Bobsled
Bobsled riders' safety depends on skill ... and physics! Learners use a simulation to understand the physics behind the sport. They manipulate the speed, mass, and/or turn radius of the sled and watch the effects on the centripetal force.
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
Everglades Airboat
How does an airboat move when there isn't a motor in the water? The simulation teaches the forces related to the thrust and drag on an airboat. Scholars vary the boat mass and thrust force in order to view graphs of the changing force...
CK-12 Foundation
Newton's Apple
Scientists state that the higher something is above the earth, the greater the gravitational potential energy. Does this mean there is more gravity acting on the moon than on an apple falling from a tree? Scholars adjust the distance...
Physics LAB
Basic Practice With Springs
For this springs worksheet, students answer 14 questions about springs, spring constants, the acceleration of masses connected to springs, the elasticity constant of springs, the energy stored in springs and the speed at which masses...
Physics LAB
Net F=ma
In this force activity, students use the equation, F=ma to solve 7 problems where the force changes, the mass changes or the acceleration changes. Students explain their answer for each problem.
Physics LAB
Free Body Diagrams #2
In this free body diagram worksheet, students solve 14 problems using given free body diagrams. They determine the magnitude and numerical value of the normal force, they find the magnitude of the frictional forces, they determine the...
Physics LAB
Freebody Diagrams #1
In this free body diagrams worksheet, learners answer 19 questions about given diagrams including the forces exerted on objects, the magnitude of acceleration, and the tension in strings.
CK-12 Foundation
Model Rocket
Acceleration, velocity, mass, and gravity all play a role in the motion of a rocket. Young scientists explore the connection among these components using an interactive tutorial. They adjust the mass and thrust force to experiment with...
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...
Physics Classroom
Fnet = m•a
Most pupils learn quickly how to apply Newton's Second Law equation to calculate net force. However, many struggle to determine net force before calculating the value of an unknown force from a force diagram. As part of a larger series...
Physics LAB
Universal Gravitation and Satellites
In this gravitation worksheet, students use the given formulas to determine the earth's gravitational field at different altitudes, the magnitude of centripetal acceleration experience by satellites, and orbital period of a satellite....
Curated OER
Physics Unit 8: 1
In this physics unit 8 worksheet, students construct a qualitative motion map as it relates to centripetal force of a described scenario. Students respond to questions as it relates to acceleration and the magnitude of the centripetal...
Physics LAB
Uniform Circular Motion
In this circular motion worksheet, students determine the magnitude of a coin's linear velocity and the magnitude of its acceleration. This worksheet has 14 problems to solve.
Physics Classroom
Newton's Second Law
Physics formulas provide more interest than simple math equations thanks to an informative installment from the series on Newton's laws of motion. The formulas guide pupils' thinking about how varying a quantity affects the rest of the...
Physics LAB
Introduction to Springs
For this springs worksheet, high schoolers solve 14 problems given diagrams showing different springs. Students find spring constants, the kinetic energy of the springs, the elasticity constant and the speed of moving masses.