Given an assortment of unknown metals to identify, student pairs consider what unique intrinsic (aka intensive) metal properties (such as density, viscosity, boiling or melting point) could be tested. For the provided activity materials (copper, aluminum, zinc, iron or brass), density is the only property that can be measured so groups experimentally determine the density of the "mystery" metal objects. They devise an experimental procedure to measure mass and volume in order to calculate density. They calculate average density of all the pieces (also via the graphing method if computer tools area available). Then students analyze their own data compared to class data and perform error analysis. Through this inquiry-based activity, students design their own experiments, thus experiencing scientific investigation and experimentation first hand. A provided PowerPoint(TM) file and information sheet helps to introduce the five metals, including information on their history, properties and uses.

A video tutorial which presents acceleration as the quotient of net force and mass. [2:01]

In this lesson, students will explore motion, rockets and rocket motion while assisting Spacewoman Tess, Spaceman Rohan and Maya in their explorations. They will first learn some basic facts about vehicles, rockets and why we use them. Then, the students will discover that the motion of all objects including the flight of a rocket and movement of a canoe is governed by Newton's three laws of motion.

The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate Newton's third law of motion which states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction through a small wooden car. The Newton cars show how action/reaction works and how the mass of a moving object affects the acceleration and force of the system. Subsequently, the Newton cars provide students with an excellent analogy for how rockets actually work.

This lesson introduces Newton's First Law, that inertia causes objects at rest to remain at rest, and objects in motion to remain in motion. It is 1 of 3 in the series titled "Newton's First Law."

This lesson introduces Newton's Second Law and explains that force is equal to mass times acceleration. It is 1 of 3 in the series titled "Newton's Second Law."

This lesson introduces Newton's Second Law and explains that force is equal to mass times acceleration. It is 2 of 3 in the series titled "Newton's Second Law."

Watch this introduction to Newton's Second Law of Motion. See example problems solved in an easy to understand format. [9:49]

Are we in the midst of a mass extinction? Is Homo sapiens triggering this mass extinction? Four expert panelists have written responses to the aforementioned questions for this highly informative site.

Estimate how many pennies a flatboat made of aluminum foil will hold, then test your hypothesis.

The periodic table of elements is one of the greaest achievement in chemistry, and understanding its arrangment helps us to understand many aspects of chemistry. This pathway provides resources to understand several of the trends on the periodic table, such as electronegativity and the number of bonds an atom can form.

Learn about balance by placing objects on a playground teeter totter. Take the challenge to show what you learn.

An interactive simulation that teaches about density, mass, and volume through explorations of mass and volume with different objects. This simulation can either be downloaded or played online and includes handouts, lesson plans, and additional materials.

Are all atoms of an element the same? How can you tell one isotope from another? Use the sim to learn about isotopes and how abundance relates to the average atomic mass of an element.

An interactive simulation that teaches about oscillators, normal modes, and polarization by varying the number of masses and initial conditions to determine their effect on 1D or 2D systems of coupled mass-spring oscillators. This simulation can either be downloaded or played online and includes handouts, lesson plans, and additional materials.

The concept of potential energy is explained along with the two forms of potential energy: elastic and gravitational. Discusses what gravitational potential energy is, explains the direct relationship between it and mass and height, and gives the equation for its computation, along with an example.

In this activity, students will learn about Newton's 2nd Law of Motion. They will learn that the force required to move a book is proportional to the weight of the book. Engineers use this relationship to determine how much force they need to move an airplane.

From drinking fountains at playgrounds, water systems in homes, and working bathrooms at schools to hydraulic bridges and levee systems, fluid mechanics are an essential part of daily life. Fluid mechanics, the study of how forces are applied to fluids, is outlined in this unit as a sequence of two lessons and three corresponding activities. The first lesson provides a basic introduction to Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle and Bernoulli's principle and presents fundamental definitions, equations and problems to solve with students, as well as engineering applications. The second lesson provides a basic introduction to above-ground storage tanks, their pervasive use in the Houston Ship Channel, and different types of storage tank failure in major storms and hurricanes. The unit concludes with students applying what they have learned to determine the stability of individual above-ground storage tanks given specific storm conditions so they can analyze their stability in changing storm conditions, followed by a project to design their own storage tanks to address the issues of uplift, displacement and buckling in storm conditions.

In this animated video, students learn about mass: the measure of an object's ability to resist being accelerated by a force. [1:46]