Lesson 7 of 84 · Energy
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabSimple Machines: Pulleys
Simple Machines: Pulleys.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
The opposite of what you expect is often what happens.
Mind = Blown
🔥 A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: what happens if you double the force?
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
- acceleration
- velocity
Materials Needed
- pencils
- toy cars
- ramps
- string
- weights
- tape
Safety First
- Keep small objects away from young children.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.
- Dispose of materials properly after the experiment.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least 5 steps that demonstrates energy transfer from one form to another.
Note any unexpected results and think about why they happened.
Share your findings with the class or a partner and discuss what you learned.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is inertia?
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 this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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