Activity
It's About Time

The Mu of the Shoe

For Teachers 7th - 12th
What is mu? Emerging scientists explore the coefficient of sliding friction, or mu, and apply its concepts as they complete activities in the interesting lesson. They measure the sliding friction between soles of their own athletic shoes...
Activity
It's About Time

Run and Jump

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Has your class wondered how fast a human could run or how high they are capable of jumping? Help them understand these concepts as they explore acceleration and use an accelerometer to make semiquantitative measurements of acceleration...
Handout
eSchool Today

E School Today: Frictional Forces

For Students 4th - 8th
Understand frictional forces on objects.
Handout
eSchool Today

E School Today: All About Forces

For Students 3rd - 8th
Forces are everywhere. Learn what they are, the characteristics of forces, different kinds of forces, and factors that affect them.
Handout
University of Alaska

University of Alaska Fairbanks: Static and Kinetic Friction

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Static Friction vs. Kinetic Friction: The Differences

For Students 9th - 10th
Teaches what friction force is, the difference between static and kinetic friction, and how friction force is calculated.
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: What Is Friction?

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the force of friction on this reference page which defines why friction is important and how it can change physic problems.
Handout
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Glossary for Newton's Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a glossary of terms and definitions used in Chapter 5: Further Applications of Newton's Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity from the AP Physics online text.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Guide to Free Body Diagrams in Physics

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Handout
University of Illinois

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Forces and Winds

For Students 9th - 10th
What causes wind? How does wind affect our weather? This website is neatly organized into topics about pressure, gradient force, Coriolis force, geostrophic wind, gradient wind, friction, boundary layer wind, and sea and land breezes....
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: What Is Friction

For Students K - 1st
What is friction? Illustrated discussion of friction including the three types, its importance, and why it is avoided.
Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Force

For Students K - 1st
What is force? Illustrated discussion of how force is calculated and three familiar types.
Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics: Newton's Laws Study Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
This study guide on Newton's Laws covers key terms, the three laws, free body diagrams, friction coefficients and tension. Includes equations and an example problem with solution. It is available for download with free registration.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: A Comprehensive List of All the Physics Formulas

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a long list of physics formulas for easy reference.
Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Sliding Down an Incline Plane

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Here is a simulation demonstrating an object placed on an inclined plane. The user will vary the slope of the plane to see the relationship the slope has on the gravity of the object and the static friction.
Handout
Ohio State University

Ohio State Univ.: Simple Machines & Mechanical Advantage [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details how simple machines create a mechanical advantage for humans. Levers, theoretical mechanical advantage, actual mechanical advantage, and pulley systems are discussed.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Charles Augustin De Coulomb

For Students 9th - 10th
Spanish-language site lets students discover the life and work of this physicist and engineer, who is known for his studies of electric charges.
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: What Are Inclines?

For Students 9th - 10th
A webpage with equations and examples of how to solve inclined planes problems. Learn how to deal with slopes when surfaces usually aren't perfectly horizontal.