Swinging Pendulums

Lab Brief #30

🎯 Your mission

Learn the rule. Then catch nature using it.

⚡ The twist

The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.

What you'll learn

A pendulum swings back and forth using the forces of gravity and momentum.

Key words

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what happens if you double the force?

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

Step 1 of 3 · Read

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

Step 2 of 3 · Observe

Compare what happened to what you predicted.

Step 3 of 3 · Record

Tell the class one thing you learned today.

Question 1 of 3

What does a pendulum do?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

Which force pulls a pendulum back down?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

Which is an example of a pendulum?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

🎯

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.”

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

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