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...

Show us your moves. Using sensor equipment, scholars track the motion of different movements, such as jogging, skipping, or jump roping. They analyze velocity and acceleration and create graphs representing each movement.

A 15-page package thoroughly teaches your physics or astronomy learners about Kepler's three laws of planetary motion. Each one is stated and explained. Class members answer questions, solve problems, and participate in the classic...

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...

Take a look at acceleration within the context of automotive technology. They vary the mass on a toy car and run it down a ramp, exploring Newton's second law of motion. Though this is a classic lab activity, you will appreciate the...

Though an alternative method is suggested, the best way to carry out this investigation is with the use of a computer-interfaced motion detector. Physics fanatics hang a mass on the end of a spring and analyze its motion verbally,...

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...

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...

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 explore average speed, and graph distances and time.  In this speed and velocity instructional activity students complete a lab then calculate distances, acceleration and velocity and graph the data.

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...

Students design a roller coaster that allows a marble to run the course as fast as possible. Students create an experimental roller coaster taking into account the steepness of the hills and the sharpness of the turns. Students use a...

Take a look at an organized physics course. The 34-section electronic textbook covers material in AP® Physics 1 and 2. Teachers use the text to supplement lectures and have the class work through the labs. Each section contains...

In this wave worksheet, students use Slinky's to observe the properties of waves. They observe longitudinal waves, transverse waves, traveling waves and standing waves and record their observations. They calculate the frequency and...

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...

Students construct a car based on directions given. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate average speed using distance and time information. They collect data and create a graph of distance vs. time.

Students 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.

Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 

Students identify variables that affect the system, and specify which variables are independent and which are dependent.

Sixth graders read about and study motion. They conduct a lab in which they calculate speed using track records at their school. They graph the results and then invite a guest speaker (an officer from the local police department) who...

Students distinguish between kinetic and potential energy. They recognize that energy can change from one form to other forms. They identify and describe several forms of energy.

Students create flubber glaciers. In this glacier dynamics lesson, students experiment factors that may affect glacier speed. Factors include slope, ice temperature, and basal conditions. Students develop hypothesis, conduct experiment,...

Students investigate the factors affecting projectile trajectory. In this physics lesson, students calculate the range, time and speed of projectiles using mathematical equations.

Students determine their own walking and running velocity. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate velocity using distance and time information. They compare human and animal speeds.