Newton’s Laws Olympics



Newton’s Laws Olympics Name __________________

Period ___ Date _________

Station #1: Shooting hoops

Student Instructions

Play a quiet game of PIG—a shortened version of the basketball game HORSE. No slam-dunking!

After your game, answer each of the following:

1. Write down the formula for Newton’s second law of motion.

2. How was it applied in your game?

3. Every time you shoot the basketball, what does the basketball become? (Hint: This science term

is defined as “an object that is launched into the air and continues in motion by its own inertia.”)

Station #2: Standing long jump

Student Instructions

Standing behind the masking tape line, make your best jump. Have teammates measure your

distance in metric. Each group member should jump two times; record the results of each attempt.

Mark each jump with a different color of chalk. After all of your group members have jumped,

answer the following:

1. What law of motion allowed you to move through the air?

2. What is the name of the tendency for your body to stay “in motion” through the air?

3. What force brought you back down?

4. Although this is the standing long jump, did you want to get a running start? Why?

5. By the way, who is your group champion?

Station #3: Cork on yarn

Student Instructions

Sit on the floor. Put on your goggles.

Thread the yarn through the cork. Securely

tie one end of the yarn around the cork.

Pick up the empty end of the yarn and, with

the cork suspended below your hand, twirl

it at a medium speed. Watching closely, let

go of the yarn. Repeat this procedure two

more times, then answer the following:

1. What happened when you let go of the

yarn? Why? Explain in laws of motion.

2. Why did you perform this experiment

three times?

3. A cork whirling on a string is kept moving

in a circle by force. What track and field

event is based on this force?

4. What other sporting events take this force

into consideration when designing their

tracks and skills used?

5. What is providing the force that pushes

the cork out of its straight-line path?

Station #4: Balloons

Student instructions

Blow up a balloon and hold it closed with your fingers. One

person at a time, choose a direction to point the end of your

balloon; count to three; and then release the balloon. Carefully

observe what happens. Allow each group member to release

his or her balloon and then answer the following:

1. In which directions did the balloons go?

2. How did the direction of motion compare to the

direction in which the air rushed out of the balloon?

3. What specific law of motion does this station

demonstrate? What part is the action? What part is the

reaction?

4. What type of vehicle uses the same law? In this case,

what is the action and what is the reaction?

5. What type of weapon uses the same law? In this case,

what is the action and what is the reaction?

Station #5: Magic

Student instructions

Place the piece of cardboard over the top of a glass of water. Place the coin in the center of the

cardboard. Quickly try to pull the cardboard out from under the coin. Let each group member try

this two times and then answer the following:

1. What happened?

2. What does the coin tend to do most often?

3. What do scientists call the tendency to resist change in motion? To which of Newton's laws

does this apply?

4. What famous trick uses this law of inertia? (Hint: Comedians usually try it unsuccessfully,

which creates clatter and mess.)

Station #6: Record player

Student instructions

Long before the days of CD or DVD players, people listened to music on record players, like the

one in front of you now. The large circular part located in the middle is called the turntable. For

this activity, you do not need to turn on the record player. Instead, walk your fingers around the

rim of the turntable, making the turntable move as you go. Carefully observe the resulting effect

between your fingers and the turntable. Allow each group member to repeat this procedure and

then answer the following:

1. What happened?

2. Which of Newton's laws explains what happened?

3. Imagine that you are in a canoe in the middle of a lagoon. Your canoe is loaded with

coconuts. You have lost your paddle, but you don't dare use your hands for paddles because

of the crocodiles in the lagoon. How could you get to shore?

Station #7: Ramp building

Student instructions

Part one

Place the two wooden blocks on top of one another, then create a ramp by placing the board on

top of the stacked blocks. Stand the foam board on end approximately 36 cm from the bottom of

the ramp. Before you do anything else, answer the following:

1. In a moment, you will release one of the two vehicles from the top of the ramp. What will

happen to the foam board when this vehicle hits it?

2. Will the same result occur when you release the other vehicle?

3. What will cause the difference?

Use the spring scale to confirm the difference in mass of the two vehicles. Which vehicle will

produce more force just by its size?

Now, release the two vehicles, one at a time. Repeat this procedure two times with each vehicle

and answer the following:

4. Was your prediction correct?

5. What was the variable in this in this experiment?

Part two

Next, change the height of the ramp by removing one block. Place the foam board 36 cm away

again. Place the vehicle with more mass at the top of the ramp and release it. Repeat this

procedure two times and answer the following:

1. What happened?

2. When you changed the height of the ramp what were you changing?

Now set the ramp on three wooden blocks and two more trials with the same vehicle. Answer the

following:

3. What happened?

4. What formula have you been working with at this station?

5. Which of Newton's laws explains what happened?

6. What was the variable in this part of the experiment?

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