Newton's Laws Demonstrations


Source Institutions

Source Institutions

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
In this collection of demonstrations, learners explore Newton's Laws of Motion. These seventeen quick activities investigate air resistance, acceleration, terminal velocity, inertia, action-reaction, and other key concepts related to forces and motion. These demonstrations can be coupled together or conducted individually.

Quick Guide


Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes

Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours

Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per group of students

Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18

Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration

Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)


  • heavy object (wood or metal - bundle of keys, piece of wood, etc.)
  • sheets of paper
  • book
  • four 3x5 cards or flat-bottomed Mr.Coffee-style coffee filters
  • 4 film canisters
  • steel ball
  • glass marble
  • tall container (e.g. large graduated cylinder, clear tennis ball container, etc.)
  • Karo Syrup (light, not dark)
  • paper towels
  • 3x5 card
  • drinking glass
  • coin
  • oilcloth or smooth plastic tablecloth
  • dishes and/or glasses
  • two identical masses (approximately 200 g or greater) that have places to tie a thread or light string to them on both the top and bottom
  • thread or light string
  • cross-bar
  • cushioning (e.g. foam rubber, jacket, or bunch of plastic shopping bags stuffed inside a single bag)
  • two rolls of toilet paper (one full and one almost empty)
  • horizontal rod or dowel
  • two masses that have the same geometrical and textural feel but somewhat different in mass (e.g. two film cans, one filled with pennies, the other half-filled)
  • chair or table
  • embroidery hoop
  • spice jar or other container with similar size opening
  • 5 or 6 wood blocks - each about 5 in long, cut from a relatively smooth-surfaced 2x4
  • meter stick or other suitable
  • half a manila file folder
  • tape
  • marshmallows (large size)
  • flour

Subjects


  • Physical Sciences
    • Motion and Forces
      • Gravity
      • Momentum and Velocity
      • Acceleration
      • Newton's Laws
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Mass and Weight
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

Informal Categories


  • Food and Cooking

Audience


To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other


Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Rathjen, Don

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Exploratorium, 2007