Simple Machines: Pulleys

What You'll Learn

Electricity flows through circuits. A simple circuit needs a power source, a conductor (wire), and a load (like a light bulb). Breaking the circuit stops the flow of electricity.

Key Words

momentum
kinetic energy
potential energy

Materials Needed

toy cars
ramps
string
weights
tape
ruler

Safety First

Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.
Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Use materials only as directed in the experiment.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

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

Step 2 — Do

Create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least 5 steps that demonstrates energy transfer from one form to another.

Step 3 — Observe

Note any unexpected results and think about why they happened.

Step 4 — Record

Share your findings with the class or a partner and discuss what you learned.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is inertia?