Lesson 15 of 84 · Energy
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabSpeed, Velocity, and Acceleration
Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
⚡ Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
What You'll Learn
Speed measures how fast an object moves (distance divided by time). Velocity includes both speed and direction. An object changing direction is accelerating even at constant speed.
Key Words
- kinetic
- potential
- work
Materials Needed
- cardboard
- marbles
- paper clips
- rubber bands
- blocks
- spring scale
Safety First
- Be careful with scissors — ask an adult for help if needed.
Steps
Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.
Create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least 5 steps that demonstrates energy transfer from one form to another.
Observe what happens and describe it in detail.
Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is velocity?
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.
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Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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