Levers and Seesaws

Lab Brief #19

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.

What you'll learn

A lever is a simple machine. A seesaw is a lever—push down on one end and the other goes up!

Key words

simple machine
A basic tool, like a lever or pulley, that makes work easier.
lever
A simple machine, a stiff bar that turns on a point to lift things.
push
To press against something to move it away from you.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where does the energy go?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

ruler
pencils

⚠️ Safety first

Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the new words. Can you say each one?

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Build a simple lever with a ruler and pencil. Try lifting objects on one end by pushing the other.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Draw a picture of what you observe.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Share your results with a partner.

Question 1 of 3

Does a seesaw use a lever?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

Which simple machine is a ramp?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

Which is a simple machine?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🔥 A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Springs Store Energy All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”

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