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

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 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 lab activity, students investigate what variables in the construction of a marble run affect the velocity and kinetic energy of the marble at the end of the run. They construct various runs using different combinations of tubes, slides, and ramps of different slopes, and they compare the final velocity and kinetic energy of the marble at the end of each run. Students share their data with the class and work together to identify the factors that affected final velocity. They complete a lab report summarizing their findings.

In this lab activity, students act as fellow scientists and colleagues of Isaac Newton. He has asked them to independently test his ideas on the nature of motion, in particular his 2nd Law. The emphasis here is on the process of science rather than the actual results. Students need to focus on how they would design a procedure to test Newton's hypothesis and then communicate that idea to others.

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 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.

This unit of study reviews concepts of Newton's First Law of Motion (The Law of Inertia). This resource includes videos and animations that demonstrate concepts on inertia and mass, state of motion, and balanced and unbalanced forces. At the end of each section students can check for understanding of concepts by answering questions about each concept covered.

In this unit, students will explore the behavior of objects for which all forces are not balanced. Lessons in this unit include: Newton's Second Law; The Big Misconception; Finding Acceleration; Finding Individual Forces; Free Fall and Air Resistance; and Double Trouble. This unit includes videos, animations, and mini quizzes to check for understanding and facilitate learning.

In this unit, students will learn about Newton's third law. Lessons in this unit include: Newton's Third Law and Identifying Action and Reaction Force Pairs. This unit includes videos, animations, and mini quizzes to check for understanding and facilitate learning.

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.

In this activity, students investigate the effects of changing force in the acceleration of a cart. Students set up a lab cart that can travel over a pulley by changing the mass on the opposite end of a string. After collecting data, they will use Microsoft Excel to create a velocity-time graph from their data and then find the slope (acceleration). Students should be able to use simple algebraic equations to calculate velocity (v = d/t) and should be familiar with Excel or another computer graphing program. A second graph of acceleration versus force is created to see if Newton's second law is supported by the experiment.

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 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 activity, students learn about the force of gravity and the factors that affect it. They will learn the universal gravitation equation and analyze it qualitatively. They will then use Excel to create a "gravity calculator" to calculate force of gravity and acceleration of two different objects if the user inputs the masses of the objects and the distance between them.

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.

This resource covers Newton's Laws of Motion and how forces play a great role in causing change on objects that are either at rest or in motion. The simulations, visuals, graphics, and narrations are content-based and effective in explaining Newton's Laws of Motion and forces.