TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Natural Disasters
Students are introduced to our planet's structure and its dynamic system of natural forces through an examination of the natural hazards of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis, floods and tornados, as well as avalanches, fires,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Water and Dams in Today's World
Young scholars learn about the importance of dams by watching a video that presents historical and current information on dams, as well as descriptions of global water resources and the hydrologic cycle. Students also learn about...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Sliding Textbooks
In this culminating activity of the unit which highlights how forces play a role in engineering design and material choices, students explore and apply their knowledge of forces, friction, acceleration, and gravity in a two-part experiment.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: My Solar System
An interactive simulation that teaches about motion, acceleration, and velocity by allowing students to build their own solar system and watch the effects of gravitational pull and how that changes with initial position, velocity, and...
Concord Consortium
The Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench: Rolling Down an Inclined Plane
Experiment with gravity as a variable to observe the effects of gravity on an object rolling down an inclined surface.
University of Virginia
Uva Physics: Using Vectors to Describe Motion
Background information on vectors and their use in describing motion in two dimensions. A comparison of Aristotle's and Galileo's perspectives on force and motion is given.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Berkeley Lab: Four Fundamental Interactions
Discussion of the four fundamental forces of nature: strong interactions, weak interactions, gravity, and electromagnetism.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Potential Energy: How Is It Related to Kinetic Energy
After creating three different ramps with various heights, students will release toy cars from the tops of each ramp. Based on the elementary age level, students will collect data and analyze it.
University of Minnesota
The Physics of Flight: Bernoulli's Principle
Discusses air flow around the wing of a plane and its effect upon the lift and drag forces. Focuses on the application of Bernoulli's principle to wing design and the subsequent airfoil shapes.
University of New South Wales (Australia)
University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips
Physiclips thoroughly presents mechanics concepts with animations and film clips.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Elastic Potential Energy
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department defines elastic potential energy and explains its origin. Provides an equation for computing elastic potential energy and an opportunity to practice solving problems with an...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Physics: Classical Mechanics
College-level online course highlighting the study of classical mechanics. This course focuses on Newtonian mechanics, fluid mechanics, and kinetic gas theory. Course features include a 35 video lecture series by Walter Lewin. Also link...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Popping an Ollie: Skateboards and Physics
In this science fair project, investigate the effect of speed on the distance and height of the skateboard trick the "ollie". The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Parachutes: Does Size Matter?
Experiment with different sizes of parachutes to find out if size matters when slowing the descent of the parachute. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and introduction,...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: An Experiment: Acceleration During Free Fall
Animated simulation re-enacts Galileo's experiment of dropping objects off the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Car Collision Testing & Tradeoffs: Don't Crack Humpty
Student groups are provided with a generic car base on which to design a device/enclosure to protect an egg as it rolls down a ramp at increasing slopes. During this activity, student teams design, build and test their prototype...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Potential Energy
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department defines and explains the concept of potential energy. Using equations and graphics to illustrate the idea, it discusses the many types of potential energy (gravitational,...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Your Weight on Other Worlds
From the Exploratorium Museum. Includes an interactive feature in which a visitor enters their weight on earth and has their weight on other planets computed and displayed. Discusses the distinction between mass and weight and describes...
Utah STEM Foundation
Utah Stem Action Center: Angry Birds Are Mad About Physics
Learn about catapults and Newton's laws of motion.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: What Is Newton's First Law?
Newton's First Law also called the law of inertia is the most important thing to realize about motion. This article offers more information on motion and explains solved problems involving Newton's First Law. Also included is a video...
NASA
Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics
This site from NASA uses a colorful graphic to illustrate why objects reach terminal velocity. Provides equation for the terminal velocity of an object. Graphic is accompanied by a simple explanation.
Treehut
Suzy's World: Black Holes
Use this site to find out what is a black hole in space and try an experiment.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Physics Motion Activities for Second Grade
A lesson plan for stations that allow students to explore how a push or pull affects motion.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Measuring G
Using the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit, students construct experiments to measure the time it takes a free falling body to travel a specified distance. Students use the touch sensor, rotational sensor, and the NXT brick to measure the time of...