Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Elastic and Inelastic Collisions: The Case of the Happy and Sad Balls
Young scholars improve their understanding of momentum conservation and learn that a recoiling object in an elastic collision will transfer more impulse than if it collided inelastically.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Electromagnetic Induction Demonstration
Young scholars learn the relationship between the electric and magnetic fields. Specifically, they verify that a magnetic field is created in a current carrying coil of wire and a changing magnetic field can induce a current in another...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Centripetal Force
Wikipedia's site on centripetal force provides a section explaining the difference between centripetal force and centrifugal force. Includes formulas and hyperlinked terms.
University of California
Understanding Science: Newton's 2nd Law: Inquiry Approach Lesson
For this lesson, students develop their own scientific experiment to test Newton's hypothesis that the acceleration of an object depends on the net force acting upon it and its mass. After completing their designed experiment, students...
Other
Wikibooks: Physics Study Guide
A handy resource that gives an overview of equations and definitions pertinent to an introductory, college-level physics course, with two of its three sections focusing on motion-related topics and principles.
Other
Institute of Physics: Newton's Cradle
The interactive simulation demonstrates the conservation of momentum through a Newton?s Cradle simulation.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Forces in Translational Equilibrium
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] The following tutorial helps students to understand how to apply Newton's Second Law under equilibrium conditions in two dimensions.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Newton's 2nd Law: Inquiry Approach
For this activity, students test Isaac Newton's ideas on the nature of motion, in particular his 2nd Law. The emphasis is on the process of science, investigation, and experimentation, not the results. Students must come up with their...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Physics Tug of War
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...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Velocity Time Graphs
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How to draw a velocity-time graph and what it represents.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Newton's Laws of Motion
Use this outline to find out about Newton's Laws of Motion. Use the different lesson plans covering the laws of motion to learn more.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Finding Individual Forces
Explore the world of finding individual forces. "The process of determining the value of the individual forces acting upon an object involve [sic] an application of Newton's Second law and an application of the meaning of the net force."
Yale University
Open Yale Courses: Physics 200: Newton's Laws of Motion
This lecture covers Newton's three laws of motion. You can watch the lecture on video or listen to audio. A transcript of the lecture and practice problems are also provided.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Catapults!
Students observe the relationship between the angle of a catapult (a force measurement) and the flight of a cotton ball. They learn how Newton's second law of motion works by seeing directly that F = ma. When they pull the metal "arm"...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Free Fall and Air Resistance
This lesson in high school physics on Newton's Second Law of Motion provides a discussion of free fall and air resistance, and answers, "Why do objects which encounter air resistance ultimately reach a terminal velocity?" and "In...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Newton's Second Law: How Does Acceleration Change With Varying Forces?
In this lab activity, young scholars investigate the effects of changing force on the acceleration of a lab cart testing Newton's Second Law of Motion. They will use distance and time to calculate velocity and create a graph representing...
Other
Math Matters Every Day: Newton's Laws
Looks at how Newton's three laws of motion apply to an analysis of the forces being exerted when playing football.
Libre Text
Libre Text: Pressure Gradients
From high school geography class, you may remember that "air tends to flow from high pressure to low pressure". To understand why this happens, it is key to realizing that gasses (but also liquids) exert a force on their surroundings...
Libre Text
Uc Davis Geo Wiki: Newton's 2nd Law
The wind blowing over your house, the Gulf Stream flowing into the North Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Europe, the jet stream at 10 km altitude. All these different flows in the atmosphere and in the ocean can be understood using ideas...
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Practice Problems: Energy on Incline Level 2
Students must predict the distance a box will move up an incline based on energy conservation. There will be friction present and some of the original KE will turn into heat.
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Practice Problems: Power of Motor for Billy on Hill (Level 1)
Students must determine the power that is being exerted by a motor to pull a person up a frictionless incline.
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Practice Problems: Billy on Hill (Level 2)
Students must predict the distance traveled by a person on a sled. The person will start with potential energy due to gravity and then lose some energy on a hill. They will then lose the remaining energy on a level surface. You have to...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Newton's Second Law of Motion
Learn more about finding acceleration through the practices found in this lesson. "The process of determining the acceleration of an object demands that the mass and the net force are known." Check out this comprehensive site.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Newton's Laws: Elevator Ride Interactive
Have you ever felt that queasy feeling in a moving elevator? Explore the physics behind the sensations of weightlessness and weightiness. Teacher notes and a downloadable handout are also provided.