Learning Exercise

What do forces do?

Students will interact with a simulation to learn about balanced, unbalanced, and net forces and see how they effect motion and velocity.

Material:: Force in One Dimension
Date last modified:: October 19, 2009
Created by:: Christopher Borquez
License:

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Force in One Dimension

This java application simulation shows the force (applied, frictional, and total), position, velocity, and acceleration... see more

Material Type:: Simulation
Author:: The PHET Group, University of Colorado

Exercise

If you have a computer lab or laptops students can do this activity on their own. If not the focus questions can be answered as a class as you demonstrate.

Additional Information: http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Forces_in_1_Dimension

Disciplines

Science and Technology / Physics / Classical Mechanics / Forces and Dynamics

Audience

Middle School

Requirements

Motion, speed, velocity

Type of Task

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to describe how unbalanced and unbalanced forces effect motion and velocity and can be combined as a net force

Assessment

Students should be able to answer the following focus questions: 1. If the forces are balanced is there any net force? 2. If the forces are balanced does the object move? 3. If the forces are balanced does the velocity of the object change? 4. If the forces are unbalanced is there a net force? 5.If the forces are unbalanced does the object move? 6. If the forces are unbalanced does the velocity of the object change?