Lesson 24 of 30 · Simple Machines

Lesson⭐ 30 XP🛠️ Engineer Shop

Rubbing Slows Things

🧪Lab Brief #24

Simple Machines.

🎯 Your mission

Master the concept. Use it tomorrow.

⚡ The twist

Every solution creates a new problem. That's good — that's the next project.

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Mind = Blown

🌉 The Eiffel Tower can grow 6 inches taller in summer because metal expands when hot.

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Make a hypothesis first

Predict: which design will hold the most weight?

What You'll Learn

Things slow down and stop because the ground rubs against them. That is friction!

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Say the vocabulary words out loud. Can you repeat them?

Step 2 — Do

Use a magnet to find things in the room that stick to it.

Step 3 — Observe

What happened? Tell a grown-up what you noticed.

Step 4 — Record

Tell a grown-up your favorite part of the activity.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What happens if you push harder?

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

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Where you see this in real life

Your phone, your bike, your shoes — all designed with this idea.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Build something — anything — out of stuff in your recycling bin.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

“What's something around the house you'd redesign — and how?”

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Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

🪨Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

Back

Ready?