By making and testing simple balloon rockets, students acquire a basic understanding …
By making and testing simple balloon rockets, students acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion as it applies to rockets. Using balloons, string, straws and tape, they see how rockets are propelled by expelling gases, and test their rockets in horizontal and incline conditions. They also learn about the many types of engineers who design rockets and spacecraft.
The concepts of stability and equilibrium are introduced while students learn how …
The concepts of stability and equilibrium are introduced while students learn how these ideas are related to the concept of center of mass. They gain further understanding when they see, first-hand, how equilibrium is closely related to an object's center of mass. In an associated literacy activity, students learn about motion capture technology, the importance of center of gravity in animation and how use the concept of center of gravity in writing an action scene.
In this video adapted from the Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, learn how …
In this video adapted from the Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, learn how plotting the changes in an object's position on a graph can provide information about the object's motion.
This pathway explores the principles of rotational motion, such as rotational intertia, …
This pathway explores the principles of rotational motion, such as rotational intertia, torque and angular velocity. Angular kinematics are explained in a manner analogous to one dimentional kinematics, and the principle of conservation of angular momentum is discussed. Applications of these principles are provided, as well as problems to check for understanding.
Learn about rotational forces by watching astronaut Jeffrey Williams spin objects onboard …
Learn about rotational forces by watching astronaut Jeffrey Williams spin objects onboard the International Space Station in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.
Students are asked think-pair-share questions to predict the interaction of alpha particles …
Students are asked think-pair-share questions to predict the interaction of alpha particles fired toward the nucleus of an atom. An online applet is used to illustrate the interaction and test students' ideas for the causes of the interaction. This activity uses a resource in the comPADRE partner collection.
Students build a saltwater circuit, which is an electrical circuit that uses …
Students build a saltwater circuit, which is an electrical circuit that uses saltwater as part of the circuit. Students investigate the conductivity of saltwater, and develop an understanding of how the amount of salt in a solution impacts how much electrical current flows through the circuit. They learn about one real-world application of a saltwater circuit — as a desalination plant tool to test for the removal of salt from ocean water.
This animation adapted from NASA shows the orbital paths of spacecraft in …
This animation adapted from NASA shows the orbital paths of spacecraft in NASA's Earth Observing Fleet that are a source of wide-scale, primary research about Earth.
Students learn how to determine map distances and areas using the map …
Students learn how to determine map distances and areas using the map scale. They get a feel for how much an area represents on the map in relation to the size they are suggesting for their underground caverns to shelter the Alabraska population.
The solar system is BIG, but just how big? It can be …
The solar system is BIG, but just how big? It can be difficult to conceptualize just how small planets are compared to the distances between them! In this lesson we’ll be making models to help us understand.
Science Over Everything is a blog dedicated to helping middle and high …
Science Over Everything is a blog dedicated to helping middle and high school students understand current events in science and why they are relevant to their daily lives. Our site is intended to be a resource for teachers, providing each blog post with classroom activities to help the students comprehend what they are reading and fit the articles in a school's curriculum.
This activity is a forensic based physical science inquiry investigation where students …
This activity is a forensic based physical science inquiry investigation where students collaborate in groups and use observations to determine how Newton's Laws of Motion are applied in finding evidence in a car and truck trailer accident. Their evidence will be used in a presentation to verify consistency in police and witness reports to support the plantiff or defendent in the court case.
Students use data acquisition equipment to learn about force and displacement in …
Students use data acquisition equipment to learn about force and displacement in regard to simple and complex machines. In the engineering world, materials and systems are tested by applying forces and measuring the resulting displacements. The relationship between the force applied on a material, and its resulting displacement, is a distinct property of the material, which is measured in order to evaluate the material for correct use in structures and machines.
Students learn what a pendulum is and how it works in the …
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.
How is it that some kinds of light can pass through things …
How is it that some kinds of light can pass through things without stopping? And how can scientists use this ability to see inside things like rocks, soils, and man-made materials at a microscopic level and understand their inner workings? We're joined by Dr. Mayank Sabharwal to talk about the fascinating power of x-rays and some of the ways that scientists use this super-powered light to do much more than look at broken bones.
Discover how the art of DJing in Hip Hop culture and STEM …
Discover how the art of DJing in Hip Hop culture and STEM intertwine in collaboration with MacArthur Fellow physicist, Dr. Carl Haber, Bay Area artist Jahi, and Berkeley Lab's own DJ Miles Green. Learn about the physics behind vinyl records and turntables, and the significance of them in the history and culture of Hip Hop. See live demonstrations on the turntables, an exploration on sound and sound restoration, along with various STEM connections to the turntable.
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