Curated OER
Terminal Velocity
Students calculate acceleration due to gravity with the measurements of the period of a pendulum or measurements of the time for an object to fall from different heights. They observe and measure the effect of air resistance on the...
Teach Engineering
Egg-cellent Landing
The classic egg-drop experiment gets a new bounce with an activity that asks pairs to design a lander similar to one used to land a rover on Mars within a fixed budget. The activity provides a great introduction to the idea of terminal...
Urbana School District
Forces
Is your class struggling with Newton's Second Law? Then show them a presentation that covers everything physics scholars need to know about forces. Starting with gravity, the slides focus on Newton's Laws of Motion, and end with an...
CK-12 Foundation
Cliff Diver
Cliff diving is more than an adrenaline rush ... it's a lesson in physics! Scholars adjust the height of a cliff and plot the resulting velocity and position over time on graphs. They also can incorporate air resistance to monitor the...
Curated OER
Newton's Second Law
In this Newton's law of motion worksheet, students review the concepts and equation associated with Newton's second law of motion. Students complete 7 matching and 5 true or false questions.
Curated OER
Motion Near Earth
In this motion worksheet, students will match 5 physics vocabulary words relating to motion with their definitions. Then, they will review 9 statements of different motion scenarios to determine is the statement is true or false....
Curated OER
Waves
An incredibly colorful PowerPoint presents all the facts and definitions about waves that you could need for beginning physical scientists. There are several useful links to online animations of wave action. This may have been produced...
Teach Engineering
Measuring Viscosity
Groups use a marble to determine the viscosity of household fluids. The procedure calls for pupils to measure the amount of time it takes a marble to fall a specified distance in the fluids. Using unit conversions and algebra, the teams...
Curated OER
Does Weight Affect Drag?
Learners investigate how weight affects a parachute's rate of fall. In this investigative lesson students test parachutes, average results and conclude what makes a faster descent.
Curated OER
Earthquake on the Playground
Learners investigate earthquakes by examining chart data. In this disasters instructional activity, students identify the waves that are recorded when an earthquake arises by reading sample graphs in class. Learners participate in an...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Terminal Velocity
Researchers compare the terminal velocity of humans to peregrine falcons in hopes to increase top speeds in human extreme skydiving.
Other
University of Alaska: Terminal Velocity
University of Alaska physics professor site explaining the concept of terminal velocity. Uses the terminal velocities of humans and cats for comparison. Site contains an interesting graph of the percent fatalities versus stories fallen.
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Newton's Laws
This lesson focuses on Newton's Law for falling objects including terminal velocity, the three stages of falling, a diagram showing what happens to the speed of a skydiver from airplane to ground, velocity-time graphs for falling...
NASA
Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics
This site from NASA uses a colorful graphic to illustrate why objects reach terminal velocity. Provides equation for the terminal velocity of an object. Graphic is accompanied by a simple explanation.
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Forces, Acceleration and Newton's Laws Aqa
This lesson focuses on Newton's First Law: an object remains in the same state of motion unless a resultant force acts on it. If the resultant force on an object is zero, this means: a stationary object stays stationary; a moving object...
NASA
Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics
Includes exhaustive information and a wealth of activities pertaining to aerodynamics and the physics of flight.