Momentum in Motion

Lab Brief #3

🎯 Your mission

Learn the rule. Then catch nature using it.

⚡ The twist

Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.

What you'll learn

Momentum is mass times velocity. A heavy truck moving slowly can have the same momentum as a light car moving fast. Momentum is conserved in collisions.

Key words

momentum
The push a moving object has because of its mass and speed.
velocity
The speed of something moving in a certain direction.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where does the energy go?

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

Step 1 of 4 · Read

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

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Build a simple circuit using a battery, wire, and light bulb. Then add a switch and test what happens when you open and close it.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Observe what happens and describe it in detail.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.

Question 1 of 3

What is momentum?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What type of energy does a moving object have?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What does friction do?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

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

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Air Resistance and Drag All lessons

🎯

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✨ More to explore

🌍 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 it 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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