Lesson 23 of 84 · Energy
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabWhat Makes Things Move?
What Makes Things Move?.
🎯 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
A force is a push or pull that can change an object's motion, shape, or direction. Forces are measured in Newtons and can act through contact or at a distance.
Key Words
- lever
- pulley
- inclined plane
Materials Needed
- marbles
- paper clips
- rubber bands
- blocks
- spring scale
Safety First
- Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
- Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
- Keep small objects away from young children.
Steps
Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.
Create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least 5 steps that demonstrates energy transfer from one form to another.
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 form of energy does food contain?
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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