Forces in Action
In a soccer drill, a ball rests between two players who push it from opposite sides with equal force. What happens to the ball’s motion?
What is it stays at rest because the forces are balanced?
Students test whether a soccer ball’s surface affects how far it rolls. What is the independent variable factor (AKA: what factor are they changing)?
What is the ball’s surface?
A battery-powered toy plays a Taylor Swift song through a speaker. What type of energy is stored in the battery?
What is chemical energy?
A student connects a battery, wires, and a small bulb in a complete path. What should happen if the parts work?
What is the bulb should light?
Light from a flashlight bounces off a mirror onto a wall. What is this behavior called?
What is reflection?
Which is more likely to be attracted to a magnet: a steel paper clip or a plastic game piece?
What is a steel paper clip?
A football player pushes a blocking sled forward. Friction from the field acts backward with less force. Which way will the sled accelerate?
What is forward, in the direction of the greater force?
Students test whether a soccer ball’s surface affects how far it rolls. What should students measure to compare the results (AKA: what is the dependent variable)?
What is the distance each ball rolls?
A battery-powered Sanrio night-light shines on a desk. What energy transformation happens from the battery to the light?
What is chemical energy changes to electrical energy, which changes to light energy?
During a school play, a student opens a switch on a circuit powering a stage light. What happens, and why?
What is the light turns off because opening the switch breaks the complete circuit path?
A black t-shirt absorbs much of the light that hits it. What does absorption mean?
What is the material takes in light energy?
Which is more likely to conduct electricity: a metal spoon or a wooden ruler?
What is a metal spoon?
Mario’s kart moves across a track, then slows when it rolls onto a rough patch. What force helps explain why it slows?
What is friction - the rough patch creates friction that acts against the kart’s motion?
A group tests how the height of a ramp affects a toy car’s travel time. Name one controlled variable (AKA: one factor to keep the same)?
What is keep the car, ramp surface, or finish-line distance the same?
A Spider-Man action figure has a small motor that makes its arm move. What energy form does the Spider-Man action figure show?
What is mechanical energy?
*BONUS POINTS*: The Spider-Man action figure has kinetic energy when its arm moves.
*EXTRA BONUS POINTS* The Spider-Man action figure has kinetic energy when its arm moves and shows potential energy when it is not moving.
A battery-powered toy car moves when its circuit is complete. What energy transformation makes the car move?
What is electrical energy changes into motion energy in the motor?
A spoon in a clear glass of water looks shifted when viewed from the side. What light behavior helps explain this?
What is refraction?
A student sorts objects into groups based on whether they float in water. What property is the student comparing?
What is relative density, using water as the reference point?
A dancer pushes off the floor to leap. Describe how the force changes the dancer’s motion. Explain your reasoning (AKA - SCR!)
What is the dancer pushes down on the floor, and the floor pushes up on the dancer. This upward force changes the dancer’s motion and lifts them into the air?
A student tests how different dance shoes affect how far they slide. The student dances on a different floor each time. Why is this an unfair test? Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is the floor surface is an additional changed factor. The student should use the same floor for every shoe test so the shoe type is the factor being tested?
A portable speaker plays a Stray Kids song and becomes slightly warm. Name two forms of energy produced, and explain how they come from electrical energy. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is the speaker produces sound energy and thermal energy. Electrical energy changes into sound and some heat as the speaker operates?
A student builds a circuit for a tiny soccer scoreboard light, but the bulb stays dark. Name two things to check and explain why. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is check for loose connections and make sure there is a complete path through the battery and bulb. A break in the circuit stops electrical energy from flowing through the bulb?
At a school dance, colored lights shine through a clear plastic cover and change direction. What happens to the light, and why? Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is the light refracts, or changes direction, as it passes from air into the plastic?
Two objects are the same size. One floats in water, and the other sinks. What can you infer about their relative density? Explain your reasoning. (AKA = SCR!)
What is their relative density is different. The object that floats is less dense than water; the object that sinks is more dense than water?
In a Minecraft-style minecart challenge, a cart moves straight at a constant speed. A student says, “There must be no forces acting on it.” Explain why that conclusion may be incorrect. (AKA - SCR!)
What is forces can act on the cart and still be balanced. Balanced forces do not change its motion, so it can keep moving at a constant speed?
Students test which paper airplane design flies farthest. They use the same paper and launch point, but each person throws a plane. Identify a problem and suggest an improvement. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is Different people may throw with different force or technique, affecting distance. Use the same launcher or one student using the same launch method, and repeat each design’s trials?
A student says, “Energy disappears when a game controller’s battery runs out.” Explain why this is not an accurate description of energy. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is energy changes form rather than simply disappearing. The battery’s chemical energy changes into electrical energy and may produce light, sound, motion, or thermal energy in the controller and game system?
In a game-room model, one switch controls a buzzer and another controls a light. The buzzer works, but the light does not. Explain why one working part does not prove the whole circuit system works. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is the buzzer and light may have different paths or switches. The light’s path could be open or have a loose connection, so students should trace and check the complete circuit for that light?
A student sees a coin through the curved side of a water bottle. The coin seems to be in a different place. Explain how light’s path can cause this appearance. Explain your reasoning. (AKA - SCR!)
What is light from the coin changes direction as it passes through water, plastic, and air. The student sees the light along a changed path, making the coin appear shifted?
A student compares a wooden pencil and a plastic ruler. Both float and are not attracted to a magnet. What can the student conclude, and what would still need testing? Explain your reasoning. (AKA = SCR!)
What is he objects share those observed properties. Their mass, solubility, and ability to conduct heat or electricity would need to be tested separately?