61

Lesson 61 of 84 ยท Energy

Experimentโญ 30 XPโšก Spark Lab

The Wheel and Axle (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #61

The Wheel and Axle (Part 2).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

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

โšก The twist

The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐Ÿ”ฅ A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what happens if you double the force?

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

  • motion
  • balanced

Materials Needed

  • pencils
  • toy cars
  • ramps

Safety First

  • Keep small objects away from young children.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Build a simple motor using a battery, magnet, wire, and paper clip supports. Observe how electromagnetic forces create rotation.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Create a data table to organize your measurements.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What does friction do?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œShow me something at home that uses this kind of energy.โ€

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Next Smart Experiment

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

๐Ÿ”ฌShare card

Share this experiment

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

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Energy for 4th Grade

Get the full Energy track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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