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Lesson 4 of 6 · Forces and Motion

Experiment30 XP Spark Lab

Forces: Push or Pull

🧪Lab Brief #4

Forces and Motion.

🎯 Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

⚡ The twist

Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.

🤯

Mind = Blown

⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: which will move faster, and why?

What You'll Learn

A force is a push or pull that can change an object's motion, shape, or direction. Forces are measured in Newtons and can act through contact or at a distance.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

  • weights
  • spring scale

Safety First

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

Steps

Step 1Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2Do

Test friction: pull a weighted box across 4 surfaces (carpet, tile, sandpaper, foil). Use a spring scale to measure the force needed for each.

Step 3Observe

Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.

Step 4Record

Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is gravity?

🌍

Where you see this in real life

You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.

🏆

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

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

🧪Share card

Share this experiment

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

Ready?

Forces: Push or Pull

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

Full screen — no distractions

🖨️

Checkout complete lesson on Forces and Motion for 3rd Grade

Get the full Forces and Motion track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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Forces: Push or Pull — Forces and Motion | 3rd Grade Science | LittleActivity