SCIENCE CONCEPT:
- Matter is every substance in the universe. Atoms are
the smallest particles of matter that can exist on their own. Each atom
is composed of even smaller particles, but they are found together. All
matter exhibits two characteristics: 1. It has mass which is determined
by the number of atoms of which it is composed, and 2. It takes up
space. Mass is most commonly defined as the amount of matter in an
object. Scientists define mass as a measure of inertia, which is the
tendency of an object not in motion to remain motionless or the tendency
of an object in motion to remain in motion. The greater an object's
mass, the more difficult it is to speed it up or slow it down. This is
Newton's Second Law of Motion. Mass and weight are not the same thing.
Weight is the force on an object due to the pull of the earth's gravity.
An object weighs less the further away it moves from the earth, but the
mass stays the same. Density is defined as the mass of any substance in
a given unit volume.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:
- The student will explore how gravity is the force
that makes things such as balls and bike wheels roll downhill.
OVERVIEW:
- The student will drop one drop of colored water and watch it
roll down a powdered cookie sheet. It will become covered with powder
and form a round rolling object that we'll call a roly-poly. They will
repeat the process and see what happens to each new drop of colored water
as it rolls down the powdered cookie sheet. Will the second drop stack
on top of the first drop or collide and join to form a single, larger
roly-poly?
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PREPARATION TIME:
- Variable
LESSON TIME:
- 25-30 minutes.
TEACHER PREP:
- Gather the following materials for the experiment:
baby powder, cookie sheet, coffee can, masking tape, 1/4 cup of water,
red food coloring, coffee cup, spoon and eyedropper. You will also need
a ruler for an extended experiment.
WORDS TO KNOW:
- motion
- gravitation
- matter
- atoms
- mass
- inertia
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