Lesson 2 of 8 · Forces
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabBalanced and Unbalanced Forces
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.
Mind = Blown
🔥 A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: where does the energy go?
What You'll Learn
Balanced forces are equal in size and opposite in direction, so an object stays still or moves at constant speed. Unbalanced forces cause an object to accelerate or change direction.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- string
Safety First
- Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Set up a pendulum with string and a washer. Change the string length and count swings per minute for each. Graph your results.
Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.
Create a data table to organize your measurements.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What causes an object to accelerate?
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.”
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Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
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