In this lesson, students will learn that forces can change the speed or direction of motion. Students will observe what happens to a toy car as it moves down a ramp and then encounters "speed bumps" that are added at different lengths away from the ramp. Students will also add a clay figure to the top of the cars to see what effect the ramp and "speed bumps" will have on the figure.

Student groups are provided with a generic car base on which to design a device/enclosure to protect an egg on or in the car as it rolls down a ramp at increasing slopes. During this in-depth physics/science/technology activity, student teams design, build and test their creations to meet the design challenge, and are expected to perform basic mathematical calculations using collected data, including a summative cost to benefit ratio.

In this activity, students explore how two cylinders that look the same may roll down a hill at different rates.

Fun learning inquiry labs on Newton's Laws using common materials. Explore the Physics behind cars, rockets, seatbelts, planets, common "magic tricks" and more.

This brief video lesson introduces Newton's three laws of motion, using the motion of a bicycle as illustration. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.

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."

Students learn what a pendulum is and how it works in the context of amusement park rides. While exploring the physics of pendulums, they are also introduced to Newton's first law of motion about continuous motion and inertia.

Students experientially learn about the characteristics of a simple physics phenomenon the pendulum by riding on playground swings. They use pendulum terms and a timer to experiment with swing variables. They extend their knowledge by following the steps of the engineering design process to design timekeeping devices powered by human swinging.