Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Thinking Fountain: Friction
The Thinking Fountain provides this simple experiment for understanding friction and it relationship to energy.
Cornell University
Cornell University: Cornell Center for Materials Research: Friction
A collection of experiments where students can learn about how friction works and affects the physical world. At the end, students design a tortoise to win by slowing it down using friction. Lesson includes explanation of the concept of...
eSchool Today
E School Today: All About Forces
Forces are everywhere. Learn what they are, the characteristics of forces, different kinds of forces, and factors that affect them.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Discovering Friction
With a simple demonstration activity, students are introduced to the concept of friction as a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. Then, in the Associated Activity (Sliding and Stuttering), they work in teams to...
University of Alaska
University of Alaska Fairbanks: Static and Kinetic Friction
Explains what static and kinetic friction are, what their coefficients of friction are in different scenarios, and how these concepts are applied when looking at automobile braking distances and vehicle control when driving.
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...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Friction
Students study how the nature of two materials in contact, and the smoothness of their surfaces affect the magnitude of the sliding force of friction. They use a force sensor to measure frictional force for different surfaces.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Forces
Students learn about various forces and how they relate to everyday life in this interactive learning module.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Static Friction vs. Kinetic Friction: The Differences
Teaches what friction force is, the difference between static and kinetic friction, and how friction force is calculated.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Sliding and Stuttering
Students use a spring scale to drag an object such as a ceramic coffee cup along a table top or the floor. The spring scale allows them to measure the frictional force that exists between the moving cup and the surface it slides on. By...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Friction Review
Review the key concepts, equations, and skills for friction, including how to find the direction and magnitude of the friction force.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Explore the Forces of Friction
We all recognize what friction is, but do you really understand what causes it? This project focuses on friction, its causes and forces and specifically how it affects how fast you can slip down slides.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Forces and Motion: Basics
Explore the forces at work when pulling against a cart, and pushing a refrigerator, crate, or person. Create an applied force and see how it makes objects move. Change friction and see how it affects the motion of objects.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Forces in One Dimension
Use this simulation to see the results of applying a force to move an object. Analyze forces and friction using graphs.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Physics: Centripetal Force
In the following interactive students will begin to calculate coefficient of friction on a car tire. They will also calculate ideal speed and angle of a car on a turn.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation: Centripetal Forces
By the end of this section, you will be able to calculate coefficient of friction on a car tire and to calculate ideal speed and angle of a car on a turn.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Rules of Forces and Motion
With this hands-on lesson, help young scholars understand force, gravity, friction, and speed. Students will also learn how each of these concepts affects the another.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Effect of Friction on Objects in Motion
The funny thing about friction is that you couldn't get anywhere without it, yet it still acts to slow you down as you're getting there. Here is an easy project to measure the effects of friction.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Nonconservative Forces
By the end of this section, you will be able to define nonconservative forces and explain how they affect mechanical energy, and to show how the principle of conservation of energy can be applied by treating the conservative forces in...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: You Nailed It! Hammering Force for Different Types of Wood
This Science Buddies project explains how to build a mechanism that will reproducibly swing a hammer so you can determine the amount of force needed to hammer a nail through various densities of wood. The Science Buddies project ideas...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Forces and Motion: Basics
See how forces affect various items that are pushed or pulled.
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Practice Problems: Work Done by Force With Friction
Students must determine the work done by a horizontal force when there is a frictional force acting on the box. Students must then find the speed of the box.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Force of Friction
In the first of two lessons of this curricular unit, students are introduced to the concept of friction as a force that impedes motion when two surfaces are in contact. Student teams use spring scales to drag objects, such as a ceramic...