We learn how insects can fly in the rain. The objective is to calculate the impact forces of raindrops on flying mosquitoes. Students will gain experience with using Newton's laws, gathering data from videos and graphs, and most importantly, the utility of making approximations.

This brief video lesson describes gravity and explains it as a pulling force that draws objects together. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.

In this project-based unit, students build a working catapult and prepare an extensive lab report explaining the physics behind its design and implementation.

In this physics interactive lecture demonstration, students will observe the constancy of gravity in a variety of different situations. They will predict what will happen if a plastic bottle, filled with water and having a hole near the bottom, is dropped. Will the bottle fall at the same rate as the water inside the bottle?

In this lesson students will study how propellers and jet turbines generate thrust. This lesson focuses on Isaac Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In this activity, students investigate the question: "How does the strength of the tension force on a bucket when at the top of a vertical loop compare to the strength of the tension force when at the bottom of the loop?" After completion of the lab, students will complete a formal lab write-up.

This article can be used with the activity Chemistry in your Bathroom or independently. In this article students will learn about friction, how friction and lubricity work, and esters as a functional group. Other topics briefly discussed in this article are oxidation and crude oil. There are extension activities for students to enhance learning at the end of the article.

This resource simulates the motion of a horizontally moving rocket sled. Students can modify the propulsion force, the resistance forces and the mass of the rocket sled. The net force and velocity of the sled are displayed.

In this lab activity, students investigate the motion of different skateboarders pulled with various values of constant force. Using skateboarders of different masses and a variety of constant force values, students produce distance-time graphs for a number of trials. Students will then analyze the data using Newton's second law and discuss differences between trials, the effects of friction, and possible sources of error in the experiment.

Online simulation as well as a followup hands-on activity to illustrate Newton's Laws of Motion in Physics.

This multimedia resource, part of the NC Science Now series, discusses the forces involved in cycling and describes how an aeronautics engineer uses Newton"™s three Laws of Motion to test the best posture and helmet for a cyclist in the A2 Wind Tunnel. This premier testing facility, in Mooresville, NC, offers state of the art technology in the study of wind resistance by helping cyclists, NASCAR drivers, and Olympic bobsledders ride like the wind. Components of this resource include a video, related text articles, a photo gallery, and an interview with an aeronautical engineer. Links to these components are provided on the page under the heading "UNC-TV Media."

In this lab activity, students investigate the effects of different sizes of spools on the effect of torque and moment of inertia. The spools' acceleration is measured. The spools are pulled in different situations, but in all situations, they are slid across the surface. Students submit a lab report with a detailed drawing.

In this STEM activity, students are challenged to solve a real-world problem that is part of the space program using creativity, cleverness, and scientific knowledge, while learning about forces, structures, and energy transfer. The goal is to construct a launcher that can withstand the force of repeatedly launching a one-kilogram bottle of water one meter into the air.

In this STEM activity, students use the engineering design process to build a structure to handle the greatest load. They also gain first-hand experience with compression and tension forces when they test the factors affecting the strength and stability of a structure. Using the design process, students will identify the problem, brainstorm, design, buiild, test, and share their solutions. Lastly, they will measure and record the strength and amount of weight the structure will hold.

This activity is intended to help students understand and apply concepts in physics mechanics to a real-world situation. Students will use a high speed video of a hockey slap shot, making measurements directly from the video. Students can use the video to determine the average force the hockey stick exerts on the puck while the stick and puck are in contact. This is an example of an open-ended problem in that students are given little numerical information and several different strategies and concepts can be used. Students should be familiar with the concept of velocity, acceleration, Newton's laws of motion, and the concepts of momentum and impulse. Unlike a traditional word-problem where students are given the numerical information they need to solve the problem, students must make measurements from the video to determine their answer. Ideally, students are not given hints or even told which concepts to use, as these steps are essential parts of their analysis. Students will use a high speed video recorded at 240 frames per second, making measurements directly from the video using a frame-counter, a ruler and numerical data overlaid on the video.

This activity guides students through the process of analyzing the motion of a water coaster at an amusement park as it comes down and hill and then rapidly decelerates when it hits a water pool. In addition to one dimensional kinematics, the worksheet prompts students to consider forces, Newton's Laws, and even the existence and causes of non-constant acceleration.

Students will explore the relationship between drag and weight by experimenting with air resistance and vacuums.

In this project-based activity, students quantitatively determine the coefficient of friction for surfaces of their choice. They design and journal their investigative process, and then present the findings in a video production and summary report.